Indonesian from Chinese ethnic and women are helpless and easiest targets. Tens or perhaps even hundreds of Indonesian Chinese ethnic women had became victims of sexual harrassment and rape which took place while their homes or shops were torched and looted during May 13 and 14 riot in Jakarta. So evil the perpetrator were, it seemed that they had lost their humanity.
The victims were not only harrassed or raped, but some also strangled and killed. Some endures very serious mental disorder. Considering victims trauma and fear to reveal what had happened, volunteer workers took proactive actions, by searching for victims, visiting hospitals, and establishing hotlines. So far, this team had identified about 50 cases. Each day, around two dozens women called their hotlines. Below are some harrassment and rape cases identified by Women Division, the joint group of volunteers from various caring organizations, as told by their coordinator, Ita Nadia.
While workers were heading home after work on a bus, passangers were sorted out. The Chinese ones were forced to leave the bus, undressed and walked in line. Then they were led to grass plain where they were sorted out again. Good looking ones were raped.
Meanwhile the rest were forced to walk around naked. Another modus, Chinese women were undressed by a crowd on the street, then groped. We had found torn nipples and bruises all over the body. Then there are bank employees. Ten men entered a bank and closed it. The Chinnese employees were forced to dance around naked. Also there's three daughters of a poor Chinese family were raped. They were 10 to 18 years old, raped by seven men somewhere in North/West Jakarta.
Next is a family which the victims' elder sister reported to Ita Nadia that her two sisters were raped in the third floor of their home by seven men. After that, the two girls were pushed into the burning second and first floor, to their deaths. Those were some cases. Other cases, usually the women were rapen and strangled. But there's also some that commit suicide when raped. The victims were not only raped vaginally, but also anal, followed by vagina mutilation. It happened so sistematically, it can't be done by ordinary people. Politically, I wanted to say these were done to show," If you want reform, this is a price you pay. And it is by sacrificing Chinese ethnic, in this case women were targeted to build up terror or fear in society to intimidate people. So they pick Chinese ethnic and women and non Moslem because they are the weakest."
Volunteer team for humanity, Women Division, were in fact a bigger volunteer team for humanity led by Romo (Father) Sandyawan. The team had identified riot death toll up to 1,333. Now we are really angry because women had became target or object to intimidate people using sexual violence. This is a state violence.
RADIO NEDERLAND: What message would you like to relay to victims which untill now have not or dare not reveal what had happened to them?
ITA NADIA: Please, don't be afraid because breaking the silence is building awareness. Victims can directly called our hotline 021-790 2109 or 021-790 2112. We will keep victims and informants anonymous. And to the world, support us. Support in campaign to condemn what had happend. Above all else, they were discriminated, previously discriminated by the government, and now they are being sacrificed.
Translated into English by mdx.