Book offers new hope for rights violations victims

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 04/16/2010

Running things: Saskia E. Wieringa (second right) poses with former
 Indonesian Women’s Movement (Gerwani) activists (from left) Pudjiati, 84,
 Lestari, 79, and Sri Sulistiawati, 70, at the launch of her book in Jakarta on
Thursday about the destruction of the women’s movement following the
anti-communist purge. JP/Nurhayati

For decades, the song Genjer-genjer sent shivers down the spines of those who heard it, especially listeners born in the 1980s.

The song, which told the story of the genjer (lettuce) plant that gained popularity during times of extreme poverty due to its abundance amid high food prices, is for many synonymous with memories of generals slain during a political tragedy in 1965 and depicted in a propaganda film, Pemberontakan G30S PKI (September 30 Coup by the Indonesian Communist Party).

Genjer-genjer was said to have been one of the party’s propaganda songs and was played in the film, which graphically detailed scenes of torture allegedly committed by PKI members.

However, on Thursday, cheers accompanied the song, which was belted out by four women, the oldest more than 80 years old.

They were singing at the launch of a book titled Penghancuran Gerakan Perempuan: Politik Seksual di Indonesia Pascakejatuhan PKI (The Destruction of the Women’s Movement: Sexual Politics in Indonesia after the Indonesian Communist Party Downfall), penned by Saskia E. Wieringa.

Two of the women have been arrested and held in isolation in various locations as political prisoners because they were accused of being affiliated with Gerwani, the 1960s women’s organization, and the murder of six generals between Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 1965. The two accusations were closely linked with the communist party.

“I was a reporter. I supported [then president] Sukarno. I wasn’t even in town when [the murders and alleged coup attempt] happened,” Sri Sulistiawati, one of the singers, said.

Nevertheless, she was captured, tortured with electrocution and held in a prison in Bukit Duri, Jakarta, for years.

The four women, along with perhaps thousands of others, continue to seek justice in the form of a state apology and clearing their names, along with that of their family’s.

Yoseph Adi Prasetyo from the National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas HAM) said that these people were victim of crimes against humanity.

To this day, the victims, along with their families, still experience discrimination and claim they are denied their civil rights.

The nation should reinstate their rights, apologize and make sure that this does not happen again, he said at the event.

Yoseph added that some of the victims had been denied ID cards and were ousted from their posts as civil servants.

There are no official reports on the number of people murdered during the consequent government uprising against alleged communists, but estimates range from 500,000 to 2 million.

Komnas HAM established an ad hoc team to investigate the crimes and has worked on the task for two years.

“We have questioned at least 350 people. We are in the final stages of the draft report,” team leader Nur Kholis said. He added that the report would be sent to the Attorney General’s Office.

The book, which contains the stories of the women in Gerwani and others who were tortured due to alleged affiliations with the 1965 incident, will play a large role in the fight. “We will use it as one of our sources in the report,” Nur Kholis said.

Wieringa, a scholar at the University of Amsterdam, researched the women’s movement, the foundation for the book, from 1982 to 1985.(dis)