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)