Nurfika Osman – The case of two elderly widows threatened with eviction from their government-owned homes continues to draw the ire of citizens' groups, even as the government fails to speak up.

Artists and musicians held a concert on Saturday at Lake Cipondoh in Tangerang to raise funds for Soetarti Soekarno, 79, and Rusmini, 80, who are standing trial at the East Jakarta District Court on the charge of illegal occupation of a home, which carries a prison sentence of up to two years and fines of up to Rp 20 million ($2,200).

The pair took up residence at the houses decades ago when their husbands left the Armed Forces to work for state pawnshop operator PT Perum Pegadaian, which is the legal owner of the homes and has ordered their eviction.

Yuniyanti Chuzaifah, chairwoman of the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan), said the case was typical of the country's attitude toward women.

"The state views the man as being the head of the family, thus when the wife of a civil servant is widowed or divorced, she must leave the state-provided residence," she told the Jakarta Globe. "This case shows there is no substantial protection in place for women or children of civil servants. And this is not the first case of its kind."

Pegadaian says that while it will let the court decide on the issue, the homes are meant for current employees of the company.

"We wish they'd just leave," Chandra Purnama of the company said, as quoted by Antara. "They know they're not entitled to the houses." He said the company had reclaimed 44 of 49 houses occupied by retired workers.

Soetarti's husband, R Soekarno, worked at Pegadaian between 1954 and 1987, while Rusmini's husband worked there from 1952 to 1985. The government has pledged to find new homes for the widows if they are driven out.