Investigation team confirms rapes during riots

JAKARTA (JP): The government-sponsored fact-finding team investigating the May riots asserted on Monday that, despite some officials' denials, sexual assaults and rapes did take place in the unrest in Jakarta and other cities which also left 1,200 people dead and led to the downfall of former president Soeharto.

"We confirmed to the government that sexual assaults including rapes occurred during the May riots," team chairman Marzuki Darusman told reporters after meeting Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto, Minister of Justice Muladi and State Minister of Women's Affairs Tutty Alawiyah at the Ministry of Justice.

Wiranto, Muladi and Tutty were among the six officials who signed the decree on the team's establishment on July 23rd.

The other three officials were Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid, Attorney General Andi Muhammad Ghalib and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas.

When asked to elaborate on the basis of the team's statement, Marzuki said the 19-member team had "access" to sources of information about the sexual assaults during the riots.

He also admitted that a number of team members had met with victims of the sexual assaults and rapes.

"We will convey the complete report (of sexual assaults and rapes during the riots) when we announce our final report in October.

"The important thing is we want to assure that these things have happened and this is accepted by the government," added Marzuki.

The team met the ministers on Monday to deliver an interim report of its investigation into the May riots, during which security was allegedly nonexistent.

Activists, including those in the Volunteers for Humanity led by Catholic priest Sandyawan Sumardi, have said that 168 women and children were raped or sexually assaulted during the riots, 20 of whom died or committed suicide.

Sandyawan is one of the team members.

Officials, including National Police chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi, have since said they had not found any evidence to substantiate the alleged figures.

Wiranto said last week that ABRI had found no evidence to substantiate such claims either.

On Monday, however, Wiranto declined to elaborate on why he made such a statement.

"There has not been any conclusion... just wait for another month as the investigation is still being conducted," Wiranto said after attending the two-hour meeting.

Minister of Justice Muladi said on Monday that statements doubting the reports of sexual assaults and rapes during the riots were because of enormous public pressure on the government.

"Those are individuals' statements because they felt that they had been cornered by the international community and the Indonesian public.

"We, both the government and the team, now realize that we must be careful in making statements," Muladi added.

The National Commission on Human Rights said in July that it was convinced the rapes and sexual assaults during the riots were perpetrated systematically by unidentified groups of people.

The violence sparked an international outcry and ethnic Chinese communities in several countries have held protests at Indonesian missions to demand a thorough inquiry and trial of those responsible.

The government-established team that includes representatives from ABRI, government agencies, the rights body and non- governmental organizations is investigating allegations that the riots were masterminded.

The team is expected to complete its task by Oct. 23.

It was the Volunteers for Humanity that first reported that the May 13 to May 15 rioting was incited by people who appeared to have been well organized.

Data from the group said 1,190 people died after being trapped and burned during fires and 27 died from gunshot wounds. Thirty- one people are classified as missing and 91 were wounded. (byg)