Komnas HAM Member: Mass Rape Denied by Political Elites Acknowledged by President Habibie

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Komnas HAM member Amiruddin Al Rahab has spotlighted the case of sexual violence and mass rape during the May 1998 riots. He stated that some political elites denied the occurrence of these events, whereas Indonesia’s third president, Baharuddin Jusuf Habibie, acknowledged the sexual violence and mass rapes of 1998. “Some political elites at the time denied the existence of sexual violence, but President of the Republic of Indonesia, BJ Habibie, acknowledged that it happened,” Amir said in his statement on Wednesday (13/5/2026). Habibie even instructed the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs and Panglima ABRI Wiranto at the time to form the Joint Fact-Finding Team. “The team, at the end of its tenure, concluded that the sexual violence incidents truly occurred. However, the TGPF’s conclusions lacked the courage to follow through with legal action,” Amir said. This was also supported by Komnas HAM’s investigation in 2003-2004. That investigation concluded that crimes against humanity occurred in the May 1998 events. “Unfortunately, how can these past events be resolved? The Attorney General has changed many times, but none have been willing to follow up on Komnas HAM’s investigation results with prosecutorial steps,” he said. The statement relates to the human rights violation case in the form of rape that occurred during the regime change process at that time. Habibie read a one-page statement that is now immortalised in an inscription displayed in front of the entrance to the National Commission on Violence Against Women office. That statement clearly provides state acknowledgement and regret over the rape incidents that took place. In his statement, Habibie, on behalf of the head of state at the time, not only acknowledged and expressed regret. Habibie also promised that the government would provide security protection to all citizens to avoid similar cases recurring, which he described as “profoundly inhumane in Indonesia’s national history”.