Jakarta – Twelve years have passed, but Karsiah, 47, and Hiratetty Yoga, 59, still do not know who shot their son to death on the day of the Trisakti shootings on May 12, 1998.
Now, Karsiah, the mother of Hendriawan Sie – who was also killed in the shootings – continues to strive alone for justice for her son, unassisted by the government, which has never investigated the shootings.
Tetty, the mother of Elang Mulya Lesmana, who was also killed in the incident, said the tragedy had taken away her husband, who finally died after a 12-year fight against depression from losing his son.
Hendriawan and Elang, along with two other students – Hafidin Royan and Heri Hartanto, were shot dead on their campus, allegedly by soldiers, during a student protest that demanded the resignation of late president Soeharto.
Karsiah moved from her hometown of Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, to Jakarta soon after her son's death in order to seek the truth and demand justice. Her husband, who was tormented by grief for their son, eventually separated from Karsiah and started a new family.
The rector of Trisakti University at the time offered her a job on the campus' cooperative and provided her with a room in one of the student boarding house nearby. "Since 1998, we have been counting the days, the months, the years. We are suffering," Karsiah said.
The loss of her beloved son beset upon Karsiah a trauma that left her unable to speak for some time afterward. "I felt so overwhelmed that I didn't know what to say," she said.
Some students that cared for her finally took her to psychologists for therapy. "After years I still have hope. I simply ask for justice. I need clarification about who shot my son and demand that the perpetrators be punished," she said.
On Aug. 15 2005, Karsiah received an award from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on behalf of his late son, who was recognized as "reformation hero".
"The President promised me that he would gradually reveal this case," she said, adding that the promise had proven an empty one.
Tetty also told of how the tragedy had affected her. "My husband passed away in 2003. It was not because of illness, but depression," Tetty said.
In 2001, the House of Representatives issued a recommendation that the Trisakti tragedy, as well as the Semanggi I and Semanggi II shootings should not be perceived as gross human rights violations.
"Shocked and disappointed by the statement, his health gradually worsened and it led to his death," Tetty said of her husband's demise. "Twelve years is a long time. I see the government has no good will to end this," said Tetty, now the grandmother of four.
However, she said that she still hoped the case would be resolved. "Deep inside my heart I know my son is peaceful in heaven, but I do hope the case will [not disappear]," she said.
Yati Andriyani, head of monitoring at the Impunity and Victims' Rights Fulfillment under the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence, said it was natural for the victims' families to feel frustration, anger and mental fatigue.
"That's why we offer to help them," Yati said, adding that legal assistance and advocacy was not enough.
She said the current government had no political commitment to solve the human rights violations, including the shootings of Trisakti students and the May riots.
"There are still systematic efforts being made by the House of Representatives to block the process to bring human violations cases to court," she said.
She cited as an example that six factions at the House had chosen not to bring a proposed investigation into the Trisakti shootings to a plenary session.
"As for the May 1998 [riots], the House has not scheduled an investigation either in a plenary session or the House's Consultative Body," she said.
She said anti-impunity sentiment negated four pillars of the country's democracy: justice, truth, rehabilitation and institutional reform.
"If the state does not fulfill these four aspects, transitional justice, which is a requirement for a country in transition from authoritarian rule to a democracy, cannot be achieved."