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SCREAM OF THE WOMEN (Jeritan Derita Kaum Perempuan)
Ambon, May 4, 2002
(1) The Concerned Women’s Movement expresses its most sincere condolence to the residents of the village of Soya on the slaughtering of eleven of their fellow residents. Most fittingly the deceased are called victims of slaughter, because they did not die as a result of warfare, but as the result of a one-sided attack on women, children and other citizens while they were asleep.
(2) It is most hurting to perceive that 75% of those slaughtered were women, including two helpless female babies. What we want to ask is: why were these innocent women and babies murdered? Were they involved in any forbidden political movement? Did they obstruct the State so that they had to be killed?
(3) We convey this scream of the people: based on the loyalty to the undivided Republic of Indonesia and their support of the Malino Agreement, these women admonished their men to voluntarily surrender their weapons. This obedience sadly turned out to have a high price on it.
(4) We state that this brutal carnage – especially because aimed at women and children – is a hideous crime against human rights, which should not be tolerated by civilized and in God believing people.
(5) That this butchering of innocent women, children and others, is an offense of human rights that cannot possibly be tolerated by the government of the undivided Republic of Indonesia.
(6) That no reason whatsoever, be it religion motivated or by motivation of maintaining national unity, can justify any group of persons to slaughter fellow human beings, especially if those are innocent women and children. Thus these criminals must be brought to court.
(7) We still trust that the military and police are institutions that guarantee the people’s security and safety and maintain the national independence. Therefore we demand them to restore their image by acting honestly, professionally and transparent in guaranteeing security for all.
(8) We also are convinced that the Law still can be upheld in this our Indonesia. So we request that those responsible for law and order, act accordingly in honest, professional and unyielding way, without any discrimination.
(9) Don’t let the Indonesian civilians in the Moluccas go on with this endless suffering. Be aware that the stigma RMS cannot generalizingly be applied to all Christian communities and that likewise Laskar Jihad cannot generalizingly be applied to all Muslim communities.
(10) As women that acknowledge responsibility towards the formation of the future generation, we are utterly concerned with the present milieu, especially in connection with the children that show symptoms of psychical trauma due to the violence that they incessantly witness.
(11) We demand improvement of capability and sense of responsibility of those who are entrusted with the application of correct citizenship, specially of those who are responsible for maintaining security and law for everybody in Indonesia, especially for women and children that in the Moluccas are called to achieve the fervently desired prosperity of the undivided Republic of Indonesia.
(12) We reject any military emergency state to be applied to the Moluccas, especially to the city of Ambon, for we do not want the women and children endlessly being victimized.
Coordinators: (signed) Mrs. M.M.Hendriks, Mrs. Retty Assagaff, Sister Brigitta fdnsc
Posted on 2002-05-28
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