Jim Della-Giacoma, Jakarta – Indonesia's official human rights body said on Wednesday that 1,188 people were killed in rioting which ravaged the capital Jakarta last month, more than double the death toll given by the military.
The National Commission on Human Rights said thousands of shops, offices and vehicles were burned, women were raped and at least 101 people were injured. But it gave no details on the causes of the deaths or injuries.
"The National Human Rights Commission has received quantitative reports of the material losses as a result of the riots that were very shocking, including the burning of 40 shopping centres, 2,479 shop houses and 1,604 houses which were previously looted," it said in a report sent to Reuters. "(Also) 1,119 cars, 1,026 homes and 383 offices were also burnt or damaged as well as 1,188 people killed and 101 injured and a number of cases of rape which are still being investigated," the report said.
Indonesia's military said more than 500 people were killed in the May 12-15 riots, most of them looters who were trapped in burning buildings.
The commission blamed the violence on the socio-cultural divide between sections of society, a slow response by security forces and provocation by groups it did not name.
It said ethnic Chinese, who dominate Indonesia's economic life, bore the brunt of the losses in the riots, which were triggered by the shooting of six university students at Jakarta's Trisakti University on May 12.
The disturbances of that week, together with rising student protests and increasing pressure from within the government elite, led to president Suharto stepping down on May 21, handing power to Vice-President Jusuf Habibie.
The commission said there were six main causes for the spread of the riots, including corrupt government practices and the relative wealth of the ethnic Chinese.
Government policy had created a socio-cultural wall between ethnic groups which was difficult to control and created the potential for racism, it said, adding the sharp wealth gap between racial groups stifled attempts at integration.
But the commission also pointed the finger at the inadequate response of the security forces in controlling the riots once they had started. "At the time of the riots there was not seen any genuine efforts by the security forces to control the spread of the rioting. The containment was only seen long after an event had taken place or finished," the commission said.
"The security forces took no anticipatory action in the face of strong suspicions that rioting would take place," the body said.
"There were also organised groups that were reported to have started the destruction and the arson," the commission said, without giving any further details.
The commission said the violations of the right to freedom from fear, life, property and dignity committed during the riots would have a significant economic impact for Indonesia.