Politician demands evidence of gang rapes during riots

Politician demands evidence of gang rapes during riots

JAKARTA (JP): A senior politician from the ruling Golkar
political group has demanded activists who made allegations of
gang rapes during the May riots present evidence to the
authorities to prove their case.

"So far, we've only heard demands for the government to
investigate, but where is the proof? It appears that this case
has been politicized by certain parties," Lukman Harun told
Antara.

The persistent reports about gang rapes in the local and
international media have discredited the good name of the
government, he said.

"If they (the rapes) really happened, and the activists have
the evidence, then they should come forward, so that the
perpetrators can be prosecuted. We need the evidence," he said.

Police say they have drawn a blank in their attempt to
investigate claims of gang rapes during and after the mid-May
riots in Jakarta and elsewhere in Indonesia. They said not a
single victim had come forward to lodge a complaint.

But a voluntary group helping the rape victims said it had
evidence that as many as 168 women, including young girls, were
gang-raped. Twenty of the victims have died, either murdered by
their assailants, or of their injuries.

The National Commission on Human Rights has also endorsed the
group's claim, and blamed the government's lax security for
allowing these rapes to become so widespread.

The government of President B.J. Habibie, under strong public
pressure, admitted this month that the rapes took place and
condemned them and other acts of sexual violence. Habibie has
since established a committee to look into the rape claims.

"I find it hard to accept the claims. How could they happen
right in the middle of a riot?" Lukman asked.

He said psychologically it was hard for any person to muster a
sexual desire in the middle of a noisy crowd of people attacking
and looting shops.

"We have to question those claims, particularly in the absence
of any proof," he said.

The government should not simply accept the report. "The
government should insist on evidence," he said. (emb)