Indonesian Lantern May-June 2014/2nd Edition | Page 22

Indonesian Lantern Magazine − 22

Indonesian Lantern Magazine− 23

politics
might not take place, as a fellow

came a means of quarantining

intermina- bly impressed. But on

human being, hopefully one with

myself from the whole affair of

the other hand, I felt frustrated

compassion.

the May riots. Yet there were mo-

that de- nials still came from so

It was in November 2012 in Dili,

orchestrated the riots. They were

ments when it forced itself into

many parties.

during the conference and the

groomed, con- ditioned, then

She did not reject me. Neither did

my consciousness and gnawed at

she say much. But to those who

my conscience.

brief ceremony.

of the urban poor had been used
as sacrificial lambs by those who

commemoration events of the

lured to enter and loot the shops

After that whenever I met a

Santa Cruz tragedy that I sensed

which were then burned down.

human rights activist from In-

the sadness and the despair of

They, the urban poor, received no

story with few words, her story

Then the Joint Fact-finding Team

donesia, I enquired about the

mothers whose chil- dren had

sympa- thy either, having been

would be as clear as if it were

on May 13-15 Riot set up by then

progress achieved so far by the

disappeared without a trace. If

depicted as looters.

told by a skilled narrator. OK, you

President B.J. Habibie issued their

Commission, in particular that in

they had died, no- body knew

can be a tough journalist without

report. It placed the crimes com-

terms of getting justice for the

where they’d been buried. Each

It became clear the May riots

having to show off your bulging

mitted during the riots, including

May victims. For the latter, I was

night I went to bed crying. I felt

were carefully planned and ex-

biceps. She was physically there,

the rapes, in a social, economic

invariably told, none.

the pain of the people, particu-

ecuted ruthlessly, sacrificing two

but she was not entirely present.

and political frame. It was sober-

larly those mothers who were

groups in society who had no po-

I went home and did not speak

ing read- ing. However I recall

It was not lost on me that each

still grieving for their lost chil-

litical power: the urban poor and

to anyone for two whole days.

that the important report did not

year there were commem- ora-

dren. From Timor-Leste, I went

the ethnic Chi- nese, in order to

I felt extremely guilty for every

receive much media attention, let

tions of the May tragedy, but

to Jakarta to recuperate, body

achieve the orchestrators’ politi-

alone coverage. So, not only did

none followed by concrete mea-

and mind, in the cradle of the

cal objec- tives.

var- ious authorities continue to

sures. And with each passing

mores of my childhood. I was

deny that rapes ever happened

year, fewer and fewer peo- ple

convinced that we needed to

And a number of individuals with

during the riots, the community

remember what happened in

collectively confront our dark

a developed sense of jus- tice

began to dismiss them, too. I was

May 1998. In the last five years I

past, if we wanted to be a civi-

and humanity tried to uncover

dismayed, but didn’t know what

read articles in the media which

lized nation of which our chil-

this dreadful plot. What a pity

else I could do.

demanded justice for the crimes

dren and grandchildren would be

their endeavours did not go very

committed then, yet very few

proud.

far.

allowed themselves to absorb a

AWAITING JUSTICE:

VICTIMS OF THE MAY 1998
BY DEWI ANGGRAENI

W

hy

write

about

a

book

What was I to do?

me if I’d like to meet one of the

moment I doubted that the rapes

In mid 2003 I received a book

named rapes as one of the

something

My close friends, each in their

rape victims who had been suc-

had ever taken place. For a fleet-

published by the National Com-

crimes. I was disturbed. Were

And it was in such state that I re-

And to this day, not one perpe-

that happened 15

own degree of bluntness, told

cessfully assisted out of the

ing moment I wanted to write her

mission on Violence against

women so insignificant and their

called the May victims and their

trator of the May tragedy has

years ago?” friends asked when

me to stay away, that I wouldn’t

country and was now in Mel-

story, but I could not. Not only

Women, titled In Denial. Read-

footprints so ephemeral in Indo-

families, who had never received

been brought to justice.

I began research about the May

solve any problems by coming

bourne.

had I promised, but I was unable

ing it, I was heartened that there

nesian society? So easy to forget?

any recognition, let alone justic K