Groups Issue Joint Statement On Reports Of Rape, Sexual Abuse Of Penan Women

Joint Press Statement

NGOs' response to reports of rape, sexual abuse and exploitation of Penan girls and women by loggers.

With reference to the growing reports of rape, sexual abuse and exploitation of Penan girls and women in Sarawak, the latest of which was highlighted in the Star dated 6 October 2008, we the undersigned NGOs wish to state the following:

Despite the obvious serious nature of these allegations, the Sarawak police have not taken the issues seriously. Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mohammed Salleh's insistence that a police report must be lodged first reflects poorly on the police as they can certainly take the initiative to investigate these reports without a formal police report.

The situation is worsened by Marudi district police chief Deputy Superintendent Jonathan Jalin who was reported to have said that the police have not found evidence to support the allegations but only a number of "marriages" between the workers and Penan women.

The "marriages", he claimed, were between willing parties, were accepted by the Penan elders, are of a temporary nature and will end once the workers leave for other logging areas. The police in these instances seemed to have summarily dismissed these serious allegations and have failed to take into account the vulnerability of the Penans, especially the women and girls, where the logging company and workers are concerned.

We also wish to add that in November 1994, the Penans lodged a police report listing 10 instances of abuses committed against their persons, property and lands, including the rape of a 12-year-old girl by Police Field Force personnel (PFF, now known as General Operation Force).

These were quickly dismissed by the police even before any investigation has begun, causing a serious loss of confidence in the ability of the Sarawak police to act professionally.

In 2000, a report was also made to Suhakam but similarly there was no action.

Due to the vulnerability of these girls, women and the communities as a whole, we strongly and urgently call upon the Government, in particular the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development and also Suhakam, to follow through their concerns and take these allegations seriously to set up a fact finding mission comprising respected and qualified members who will be able to conduct the fact finding independently, fairly and competently.

We further urge that proper police investigation commences as soon as possible with the Bukit Aman Police heading the investigation, as the communities affected have expressed a serious loss of confidence against the Sarawak police due to their long-standing dealings with them including in disputes with logging companies and the inaction and perpetuation of impunity in the aforesaid abuse cases.

Endorsed by:
All Women's Action Society (AWAM)
Bar Council Borneo Child Aid Society Building Workers International (BWI)
Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC)
Center for Policy Initiatives (CPI)
Civil Rights Committee of The Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (CRC-KLSCAH)
Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM)
Group of Concerned Citizens Health Equity Initiatives (HEI)
Jaringan Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia (JOAS)
Kuala Lumpur Legal Aid Center Kumpulan ACTS Labor Resource Center (LRC)
Malaysia Social Research Institute (MSRI)
Malaysia Youth and Student Democratic Movement (DEMA)
National Human Rights Society (HAKAM)
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)
Penang Watch Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor Persatuan Masyarakat Selangor dan Wilayah Persekutuan (PERMAS)
Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor Pusat Kebajikan Good Shepherd Pusat Komas Research for Social Advancement (REFSA)
Rumah Nursalam Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM)
Save Ourselves (SOS!) Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
Tenaganita Voice of the Children Workers Organization Malaysia Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI)
Youth for Change (Y4C)

Farmer Arrested After Raping Neighbor's Girl

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / September 13, 2008) – Police arrested a Filipino farmer who was accused of raping his neighbor’s child in the southern town of Tungawan in Mindanao island.

Police said Julio Caiz was accused of raping an eight-year daughter of a farming couple on Wednesday. Caiz’s neighbors left the girl on his custody so they can sell vegetables to the market, but they learned about rape later.

The girl complained of severe stomach pains and was rushed to a clinic by her parents only to find out that she was sexually abused, police said.

Police said the victim admitted that Caiz raped her. (Erico Rosco)

Father Gets Life For Abusing Own Girl In Southern Philippines

DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 30 May) – A Filipino court has convicted a father to serve jail time for life after he was found guilty of raping his daughter in the southern Philippines.

Judge Pelagio Paguican, of the Regional Trial Court Branch 12, handed down the decision and ordered the man, Juanito Jayin, a construction worker, to compensate her 16-year old daughter with some P125,000 in damages.

The girl was she was sexually abused by her father in 2003 and hid the crime for fear that she would be killed.

She said her father poked a knife at her throat and threatened to kill her if she would not undress and have sex with him. She was raped inside their own house.

She eventually told her mother about the rape and went to the police to tell her harrowing ordeal from a man of her own blood and flesh.

The father has repeatedly denied the charges, saying, it was all made up by his wife after years of quarrel over family matters.

The judge said the victim's testimony was straightforward and more credible than her father. “The prosecution was able to convincingly prove the guilt of the accused in the case,” he said. (Romy Bwaga)