Let us start with two recent cases of disrespect toward
women. First, Garut Regent Aceng Fikri took a 17-year-old girl as his
second wife in an unregistered marriage (siri) only to divorce her by
SMS four days later, claiming she was not a virgin. He locked her in his
home for days after the wedding day.
Second, judge Muhammad
Daming Sunusi, the head of the Banjarmasin High Court, told House of
Representatives’ members who grilled him during a selection of Supreme
Court justices that “both the victim of rape and the rapist might have
enjoyed their intercourse together, so we should think twice before
handing down the death penalty”.
Deanna Ramsay (The Jakarta Post, Feb. 14) said the two cases marked a bad start to the year for women. I beg to differ.
To
assess respect for women in current contestation of public policy
discourse, we need to look back at the history of Indonesia, where women
have often played a significant role.
Kartini’s intellectual
awakening and the social change she ushered in by promoting formal
education for women back in the 19th century led many to continue her
deeds. On the war front, Aceh’s Cut Nyak Dien’s ferocious fight against
the Dutch was an inspiration in the pre-independence movement.
The two names were prominent examples of the many heroines who have shed blood, sweat and tears for a free Indonesia.
Among
the cultural royalty, including religious clerics, military leaders and
educated professionals that made up 68 Indonesian members of the
Preparatory Body for Indonesian Independence (BPUPKI), there were two
female members: Siti Mangunpuspito who headed the women’s division at
the Jakarta Office of Java Hokokai and Maria Ulfah, who was later
appointed social services minister (1946-1947).
A historian and
political scientist expressed surprise when he discovered the issue of
women voting rights was unanimously passed without any prolonged debate
back in 1945 despite strong patriarchic tendencies in many of
Indonesia’s ethnic groups.
Founding president Sukarno appointed
three more female ministers during his reign, who were SK Trimurti as
manpower minister (1947-1948), Rusiah Sardjono as social services
minister (1962-1966) and Artati M Sudirdjo as basic education and
culture minister (1964-1966).
Such a journey was not as smooth in
other countries. Unlike Indonesia, the US took 157 years after
independence to install a female minister, when Frances Perkins was
appointed secretary of labor under the progressive presidency of
Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1933. Women in the US then had to wait for
another 44 years until two more women, Juanita M Krepps and Patricia R
Harris, were appointed ministers during the Jimmy Carter presidency in
1977-1981.
Historically, the 56 delegates of the second
Continental Congress that signed the US Declaration of Independence in
1776 were all white males and it took the Americans 144 years to grant
voting rights to women in 1920. Even after 1945, seven state
legislatures had yet to affirm the equal right, with Mississippi
being the last in 1984.
While
its fair to argue that a progressive movement in the 20th century
affected many countries in the world simultaneously, it is hard to state
that respect for women in Indonesia was not an ingrained part of the
independence movement here and, at least partially, was hardwired to
national institutions and conventions. Nevertheless, we have to admit
that the women’s movement in Indonesia has had its ups and downs along
the way.
Islam, the religion of the majority of Indonesians, has
sometimes been misused as justification for disrespectful acts against
women. Many deliberately ignore numerous instances where the Koran and
Hadiths clearly hold women in high regard. One of the latter being that
the best Muslim men are those who treat women and wives the best (Hadith
by Tirmidzi: 285).
Sometimes in public policy, the public
backlash is more important and lasts longer than the act itself. In the
cases of Aceng and Daming, the reaction was quick and harsh. Aceng faces
imminent impeachment upon request of the Regional Legislative Council
(DPRD), while Daming has to bury his dream of wearing a Supreme Court
robe after receiving a “no” vote in the House.
In both cases, the offenders fell from grace in five nasty and brutish stages.
First,
unflattering comments, jokes and photo-shopped images spread like
wildfire through BlackBerry messenger groups, Twitter and other social
media outlets.
Second, print and electronic media highlighted their misdeeds.
Third, prominent women activists and NGOs concerned for women turned up the volume of protest.
Fourth,
leaders of state institutions with built-in tendencies to protect women
such as the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), the
National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) and the
Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry, all shared their
concern and condemnation.
Fifth, a very public brouhaha convinced state and political party figures to deal the two men a deadly blow.
The
boycotting power of women was also evident in the cases of Puspo
Wardoyo, owner of Wong Solo restaurant chain and Muslim cleric Abdullah
Gymnastiar who both practice polygamy.
Indeed, the rising power
of women has a positive impact on politics. Any ambitious Indonesian
should avoid disrespecting women in words and deeds.
However,
the trend will be more beneficial for Indonesia if the wrath of women is
also turned toward dealing with corruption, poverty and environmental
degradation that inflict damage on the country and its people in the
long run.
In her lyrics, American singer Aretha Franklin says
women deserve just a little bit of respect. In Indonesia, 2013 is a year
of increasing political respect for women and will pave the way for
even better years ahead.
The writer, a lecturer in planning
and public policy at the University of Indonesia is deputy chairman of
the Nahdlatul Ulama Scholar Association (ISNU).
