Women call for end to violence

Women call for end to violence

JAKARTA (JP): Two women groups greeted the Aug. 17 Independence Day by speaking out against violence and for international intervention in some troubled parts of the country.

Some 200 Muslim women, grouped under Gema Khadijah, on Monday staged a demonstration in front of the United Nations (UN) building in Central Jakarta. They pleaded for international intervention in Ambon, the capital of Maluku, where ongoing armed conflict between Muslims and Christians have so far killed more than 400, injured thousands and forced an estimated 100,000 to flee.

The group's leader, Sri Rahayu, led a delegation of three of the activists to meet with Sam Soyryal, a program officer for human rights projects in the UN office, to deliver their request. Soyryal was quoted by Sri as promising to bring the case to the ongoing meeting of the UN subcommission on human rights in Geneva.

Soyryal also told the activists he was leaving his post in Jakarta this Friday. In a media conference later in the day, Sri Rahayu expressed doubt that Soyryal would keep his words and that her group may have to wait until his replacement came before the sought-after intervention would be made.

"There should be international pressure to push the Indonesian government to stop the violence (in Maluku), to provide assistance for the victims so they can recover from their trauma and to provide relief," she insisted.

She also said a thorough investigation is needed to hold accountable those who are involved in the human rights violations, which included sexual abuse of Muslim women.

The second group to protest the ongoing violence in the country was the National Commission on Violence against Women. In a media briefing held to greet Independence Day, chairwoman Saparinah Sadli underlined the need for a different perspective in the handling of victims of violence in Indonesia's trouble spots.

Even after 54 years of independence, she pointed out, "Indonesians still have to struggle against terrors, fears, coercions and to fight for freedom of expression."

The group discussed violence not only in Maluku but also Aceh, where a decade-long military operation has left countless women brutalized.

Kamala Chandrakirana, who is also secretary-general of the commission, said her organization does not have "accurate figures and data on conditions of the victims (of violence) and refugees in Aceh because they move from place to place, and because of limited access to reach the victims."

She said her organization has prepared programs to help the refugees in Aceh, but could not proceed because of the limited access accorded to the volunteers.

"Funds have been allocated, volunteers have been readied, we have received the support of the community, but still we could not perform our duties," she lamented.

"Even doctors have been forced to only guess the kinds of illnesses (affecting the refugees) and what sort of medical supplies should be sent to the province," she said.

Further fund-raising activities for the victims of violence in Aceh have been planned by the commission, including a performance of traditional and Chinese dances, a concert and poetry reading on August 18 at the Tugu Proklamasi monument, Central Jakarta. (06)