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Indonesian authorities must address crimes of sexual violence against women and girls

Amnesty International Action Appeal - November 23, 2012

Indonesia: Torture victims sentenced to life imprisonment on fabricated charges while allegations of their abuse are not investigated - Asian Human Rights Commission Urgent Appeal. November 8, 2012
Indonesia: Police's failure to protect the Shia minority in Sampang resulted in the death of a person, many others injured and houses were burnt - Asian Human Rights Commission Urgent Appeal. September 5, 2012
Indonesia: Prisoner of conscience beaten - Johan Teterissa - Amnesty International Urgent Action. August 8, 2012
Indonesia: Atheist in Padang sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment - Asian Human Rights Commission Urgent Appeal. June 15, 2012
Indonesia: Ahmadiyah members in Batam are threatened, ill-treated and illegally arrested with the acquiescence of the police - Asian Human Rights Commission Urgent Appeal. May 25, 2012

Under the authoritarian rule of Suharto and during the transition period, Indonesia has experienced a range of conflicts marked by serious human rights violations. Security forces and armed groups subjected women and girls to rape and other crimes of sexual violence and although some of these conflicts have ended, the progress in addressing and preventing crimes of sexual violence has been weak.

Many women haven't been provided with the necessary treatment or medical health services, be it medical, psychological or sexual and reproductive. They have suffered not only as direct victims of the conflict but also indirectly as family members of those who were killed and disappeared.

In addition, attempts to bring perpetrators of rape and other crimes of sexual violence to justice have been grossly inadequate and for many women justice, truth and reparations for these past crimes remain elusive.

Promisingly, reports have emerged that the President of Indonesia has instructed the Presidential Advisory Council to develop a plan to resolve past serious human rights violations in Indonesia. This move presents an opportunity for all of us to put pressure on the authorities to ensure that the plan contains steps to adequately address the situation of women survivors of the conflicts.

We ask that you sign the petition below and join survivors and their families in the fight for truth, justice and reparation. Your signatures will be delivered to the Presidential Advisory Council.

Dear Albert Hasibuan,

We are deeply concerned that survivors of sexual violence during conflicts in Aceh and across Indonesia continue to be denied access to justice, truth and reparations.

We welcome reports that the President has instructed the Presidential Advisory Council to develop a plan to resolve past serious human rights violations in Indonesia, and urge the Indonesian authorities to immediately take the following steps to address the situation of women survivors of conflict:

Debate, enact and implement at the earliest opportunity a new law on truth commissions in line with international law and standards, ensuring that crimes of sexual and gender-based violence against women are adequately addressed.

Establish a national programme to provide full, effective and transformative reparations (including restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction and guarantees of non-repetition) to all victims/survivors of past human rights violations.

Ensure that all past human rights abuses by both state and non-state actors, including crimes of sexual violence, are thoroughly investigated and effectively prosecuted.

Yours truly,

Sign petition online at: http://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/Indonesia-sexual-violence.

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