Families and friends of victims from the May 1998 riots have not forgotten one of the darkest moments in their lives, and 13 years later they still do not know when justice will be served, as the government grapples to shed light on the mysteries surrounding the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians.

Joining in prayer at the Pondok Rangon cemetery in East Jakarta, the families of victims took turns sharing their feelings, keeping the fire within them alive.

“We don’t ask for much, just listen to us,” one mother said, addressing the government.

“We are not here to cry or mourn, but to pray for our loved ones and to strengthen our fight for justice,” said Daud, program coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras).

Approximately 30 people sat in front of the graves, each holding a black umbrella emblazoned with the words “demand justice”.

Kontras and family members of victims also paid respects by spreading flowers in Citra Mall, known previously as Yogya Mall, in Klender, East Jakarta, on Friday, a site of many deaths during the riots.

According to Kontras, after 13 years, the government had not made any serious attempt to resolve the riots, which came about after the killing of four students in a demonstration against Soeharto’s authoritarian regime.

On Friday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono reiterated his commitment to resolve human rights violation cases — including the May riots — but his administration was still looking for mechanisms to speed up the process, an official said.

“The President has a strong political commitment to resolving all past human rights violations, including the 1998 May riots,” National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) chief Ifdhal Kasim said after meeting Yudhoyono at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Friday.

“But, we are still seeking an appropriate format to resolve them. More discussions will be held to find this mechanism.”

Ifdhal said Yudhoyono wanted to resolve past human rights violations before ending his tenure in 2014.
President Yudhoyono ordered Coordinating Political, Law and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto to organize regular meetings with Komnas HAM to seek solutions to the long list of violations, he said.

“Komnas HAM will also hold meetings with the President every six months to discuss human rights issues,” Ifdhal added.

During the May riots, hundreds of shops and shopping centers in Jakarta were looted and set on fire. The riots, which were further tainted by anti-Chinese sentiment claimed a total of 1,217 lives, according to data from the Volunteer Team for Humanity. The organization also recorded that most of the fatalities occurred after people were trapped and burned during fires, with another 27 dying from gunshot wounds. Thirty-one people were still missing and 91 were injured. In addition, 168 women and children were raped or sexually assaulted during the
unrest, 20 of whom died or committed suicide.

No one has been named a suspect or held responsible for the tragedies.

For Ibu Darwin, who lost her son Eten in the riots, the quest for justice had brought her to her limit.

“We have been fighting for so long, and we are tired, but the government is still ignoring this case,” she said. “Our demand is that the culprits confess.” (awd)