'Kowani' demands

'Kowani' demands

From Merdeka

The damnable, shameful and barbaric actions of a group of people on May 13 and 14 in Jakarta and other cities in Indonesia resulted not only in material losses due to looting and burning, but more seriously, they caused some unfortunate women terrible pain and trauma.

Women were raped, burned and murdered, but to date, no serious action has been taken to help the victims or bring the perpetrators of this vile crime to justice.

The Indonesian Women's Congress (Kowani) therefore demands that the government, the National Commission on Human Rights and all related agencies immediately:

1. Trace and find who organized and incited the riots and bring them to court. Those found guilty should face the stiffest penalties.

2. Guarantee the safety of every Indonesian citizen.

3. Give proper help and attention to rape victims to help them to recover from their traumatic ordeals.

4. Ratify the convention on the abolishment of racial discrimination and pass anti-racist regulations and laws.

5. Set up a cooperation network between the government and the NGOs who are protecting and trying to rehabilitate the victims of sexual crimes and improve the police force's capacity for assisting rape victims through providing special training to female officers.

Mrs. ENNY BUSIRI

Kowani Chairperson

Jakarta