V Day action in Semarang calls for end to violence against women

Kompas - February 14, 2013

Puji Utami, Semarang – Scores of activists from the Legal Resources Center for Gender Justice and Human Rights (LRC-KJHAM) along with a number of Central Java women's organisations in the provincial capital of Semarang held a protest action to stop violence against women.

The action, which was held in conjunction with Valentine's Day, was held in the vicinity of the Simpanglima traffic circle and Jl. Pahlawan on Thursday February 14.

The activists, most of which were women, among which were several foreign nationals, sang and danced together. Similar actions were held throughout the world to commemorate "V Day 1 Billion Rising". As well as bringing banners with messages such as "stop violence", the protesters also handed out leaflets with similar messages.

Action coordinator Witi Muntari said that the activities were a creative action designed to convey a message, including among other things to raise awareness among all groups to abolish violence, particularly violence against women and children.

"This action is an expression of concern and to call attention to the consequence of the many women and children that have been victims of violence", she said.

Based on the LRC-KJHAM's data in Central Java, in 2012 there were 407 cases of violence against women. Of these cases, 407 (sic) of these were woman, 26 of which died. Three died after being raped, five as a result of domestic violence (KDRT), nine while working as migrant workers and eight died as a result of dating violence.

Through this action, said Muntari, there is also a message for the government to concretely uphold its commitment in efforts to prevent and abolish violence through public awareness raising. They also called on both the central and regional governments to provide and facilitate access for complaints, the handling of reports, victim recovery and clear mechanisms of liability for perpetrators.

"We hope that what we are doing on this day of love can arouse all parties to together abolish violence against women and children", she asserted.

The creative action, which was accompanied with music, was watched over by only a small number of police officers. The activists also invited pedestrians to take part in singing and dancing as a creative form of concern to convey a message of anti-violence.

[Kampanye Anti-kekerasan, Aktivis Menyanyi dan Menari - Kompas.com. Kamis, 14 Februari 2013. Translated by James Balowski.]

One Billion Rising dance action in Surabaya protests violence against women

Merdeka.com - February 14, 2013

Moch. Andriansyah – Hundreds of young people from the One Billion Rising (OBR) community held huge street dance at the Bungku Park in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya in an action protesting violence against women on Valentine's Day.

OBR Surabaya OBR chairperson Meilinda said that the action was a form of concern and a campaign opposing violence against the women of the world.

"This represents an international campaign with the aim of wishing to articulate the hopes of the 1 million women that have to suffer violence or rape in their lives", she said on Thursday February 14.

According to Meilinda, mass dance actions have not just been held in Surabaya, but simultaneously in 201 countries around the world.

"They want to support fellow women so that they are not afraid and able to respect themselves. In addition to this, the action is also a tangible way to celebrate the attractiveness and beauty of women as well as to build awareness in society without lecturing people", she said.

Meilinda said there were as many as 24,555 cases of violence against women in East Java in 2011. This figure places East Java as the province with the second highest number of cases after Central Java with 25,628 cases.

"We obtained this data from the Komnas Perempuan (National Commission on Violence Against Women)", she said. In third place meanwhile is West Java with 17,720 cases, followed by Jakarta with 11,289 cases.

Melinda said that the most common type of violence against women is domestic violence (KDRT), which stood at 113,878 cases, 110,468 of which were cases where women (housewives) experienced violence. "Meanwhile the remainder was dating violence", she said.

Melinda said that violence against women is not just experienced physically. Data from Komnas Perempuan found that women are still venerable to psychological violence.

"The figure stands at 103,691 cases, with 3,222 cases of economic violence, 2,790 cases of physical violence and 1,398 cases of sexual violence. The Komnas Perempuan also recorded 289 cases of trafficking, 105 cases of violence against migrant workers and 43 cases of violence in the workplace. Hopefully the data that emerged in 2012 will show a steady decline this year", she said. (dan)

[Sambut Valentine, ratusan remaja menari massal di Surabaya - Merdeka.com. Kamis, 14 Februari 2013. Translated by James Balowski.]

One Billion Rising activists in Yogya to dance against rape and violence

Kompas.com - February 13, 2013

Wijaya Kusuma, Yogyakarta – One Billion Rising (OBR) rising activist in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta (Yogya) will hold a dance action as a form of opposition to and concern over the widespread acts of violence and rape against women.

The action, which is also to commemorate the 15th Vagina Day, will be held along the length of the Jl. Malioboro shopping district in the centre of the city

OBR itself was first conceived by the author of a dramatic theater titled the Vagina Monologues, Eva Ensier in 1998 as a stand against victims of rape and violence against women.

"Silence is not the right choice when you see the high number of rapes and cases of violence against women. It is because of this that we will hold the action in the context of commemorating Vagina Day tomorrow on February 14. This commemoration is an expression of our condemnation of violence against women", said Yogyakarta OBR chairperson Ryan Kobari on Wednesday February 13.

In commemorating Vagina Day, OBR Yogyakarta is inviting all elements of society to dance and act in solidarity with the victims of sexual violence. The dance, which has been given the title "Rally V-Dance", will be held between 3-4.45pm along Jl. Malioboro, starting at the Inna Garuda Hotel and ending at the zero kilometer point at the central post office.

"We invite everyone who cares to rise up and demand an end to rape and violence against women by dancing along the length of Jl. Malioboro", she explained.

Kobari explained further that OBR Yogyakarta is part of a movement that will hold similar actions in 210 countries around the world. "Dancing together is evidence that all individuals have authority over themselves, and can work together to fight violence", she asserted.

The commemoration of Vagina Day this year will reject violence against women and children that is considered something preordained. "Rape and violence are not preordained! We refuse to be silent", asserted Kobari.

[Tolak Perkosaan dengan Menari Bersama - Kompas.com. Rabu, 13 Februari 2013. Translated by James Balowski.]

New security regulation gives TNI greater role in regional politics

Kompas - February 13, 2013

Jakarta – Presidential Instruction Number 2/2013 on The Handling of Domestic Security Disturbances is easily subject to misuse by regional heads for their own political interests. This is because regional governments themselves are often the cause of horizontal conflicts.

This view was conveyed by Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace researcher Abdul Khoir in Jakarta on Tuesday February 12. Khoir said that protected behind the predicate that a region is experiencing a domestic disturbance, regional heads can mobilise the national police and the TNI (Indonesian military).

During the election of regional heads for example, candidates who are currently in power or incumbents could use the presidential instruction (inpres) as legal justification to mobilise the police and military for their political interests.

In addition to this, said Khoir, regional governments are often the cause and contribute to social conflicts. "Like the Indonesian Christian Church case [in Bogor] for example, the regional head has openly refused to follow a Supreme Court decision [allowing the congregation to build a church]", he said.

Setara Institute chairperson Hendardi said that the inpres gives the TNI a much greater role in handling regional conflicts. This is of concern because there are many rogue military officers who are part of conflicts, such as when they are employed as security personnel at plantations and mine sites. "Before it wasn't official, with this inpres it becomes legitimate", said Hendardi.

Both Hendardi and Setara Institute deputy chairperson Bonar Tigor Naipospos doubt the effectiveness of the inpres. The reason being, according to Hendardi, because it fails to address the substance of conflicts, namely the problem of legal process and the government's failure to support religious freedom and traditional land rights.

The Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal and Security Affairs, Djoko Suyanto, has stated that there are no grounds for it to be said that the inpres provides an opportunity for the TNI to enter the domain of civil life, or provide the TNI with unlimited powers, let alone have the potential to cause massive human rights violations.

The inpres was issued in order to safeguard the creation of favourable social, legal and security conditions domestically in order to support the continuity of national development.

[Keamanan: Inpres No 2/2013 Rentan Disalahgunakan - Kompas. Rabu, 13 Februari 2013.Translated by James Balowski.]