Pieces from Jakarta Riot – May 1998

It’s been more than 10 years ago, when Indonesia was shaken by brutality done by those irresponsible people. It has been reported that many people died. Many Indonesian born Chinese women were raped and still no one can find out who’s behind that tragedy. I believe many of us had received emails or photos and heard on the news about how those people did their brutality actions.

Besides the fact that government did not do anything serious to uncover the actor behind that riot, we do not know much of what was really happening. But I watch a local TV station, Trans TV last Saturday evening (Jan 3, 2009). They have a weekly reality show called Termehek-Mehek (slank word for sobbing). This reality show helps their clients to find missing persons. It could be their family, girlfriend or boyfriend, husband or wife, or a friend. Last episode was about a girl (named Ida) who was looking for her lost friend, named Olivia. She had been missing since the Jakarta Riot on May 1998. Ida had been trying to find Olivia for these past 10 years, but she got none. At first, they got the wrong lead and they thought Olivia was dead during the riot. Ida cried hard and fainted when she heard this news. But then, they found out that the information was wrong. Olivia was still alive … and still missing.

After a long searching, they got an address which lead into everything they need to know. That address was a house of Olivia’s grandmother. She told everything that had happened after the riot. Olivia’s father passed away because he could not handle the situation. His house was burned down. He lost his business because of the mass robbery during the riot. The saddest part is Olivia was shaken so hard. She was not able to bear all those pressures, she was depressed. At last, she was sent into Mental Hospital. Up until today, Olivia is still there. Spending her time with her own imagination…

There was one thing that I really hope while I was watching the show: that the robbers and others who were enjoying much during the riot to think back of what they have done. They maybe were happy because they could stole things away and burned down someone else’s house, but think of the present effects. One father passed away and his daughter is hospitalized because of her mental condition… and that is only ONE story out of those hundreds or even thousands other stories.

For those who had been involved in Riot May 1998:

Imagine if you are having a daughter who has to be treated as a lunatic just because someone else hurt her. Will you get mad and take revenge? The answer is in your hands.

Let us pray for all the victims, their families and loved ones. May God bless them all abundantly and heal their broken heart, for good people are loved by Him. And for all the actors behind that riot, may God forgive you and give you one last chance to repent yourself.