Legal Assurance for Women Is Needed
Thursday, 15 May, 2008 | 16:19 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) said the state has not fully guaranteed the rights of women who were victims of the May riot in 1998. There is no protection for witnesses and victims, as is concluded by the Commission while remembering the May riot 1998.

Various legal bases for human rights enforcement and services for female victims are not able to give a safe feeling. “So, the victims remain silent,” the report mentioned today.

They are silent as it will give impetus to start their life again. They do not want to be in public as a victim and be reminded as a victim of sexual abuse.

Most of the Chinese women, age five to fifty, were sexually abused in a riot in May 1998.

The state is still dealing with controversial issues regarding this sexual harassment. As the state cannot legally prove it, there is an opinion stating the harassment was just a rumor.

Aqida Swamurti