1 month ago
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December 2, 2024 | 12:58 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) noted that there are still practices of slavery in East Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). This practice persists due to the social stratification system in the Marapu culture applied by some local communities.
The Marapu cultural system divides the community into three groups: Maramba, Kabihu, and Ata. The Maramba group is filled with noble people who have special privileges. Meanwhile, the Kabihu group is filled with commoners. The Ata group, on the other hand, is considered as slaves who must serve the Maramba continuously.
Komnas Perempuan Commissioner Rainy Hutabarat stated that the Ata people often receive inhumane treatment. Similar to slaves, Rainy said, these servant people can be treated as their lords please. "Affirmative policies from the local government are needed to prohibit the practice of enslavement," said Rainy in a discussion on Slavery in East Sumba at the University of Indonesia, quoted on Sunday, December 1, 2024.
In a recent case, a child in East Sumba was raped from 2nd grade elementary school until the age of 18. It is alleged that the child was raped by their own master. Local pastor, Herlina, confirmed the incident. Herlina explained that she and her organization at PERUATI (Fellowship of Educated Women Theologians in Indonesia) also advocate for the said case.
The child also experienced physical violence, jumping from a tall building, the second floor of the master's house, fleeing, seeking protection from friends providing services or safe houses," she said in the same forum.
However, according to Herlina, the case received intervention from various parties. She assumes that the Maramba or nobles felt disturbed by their positions. They also did not want the case to spread.
"This case cannot be made public. When the law is enforced, the police work, the Maramba in various ways, come to obstruct this case. they threatened this servant to not report and so on," said Herlina.
Komnas Perempuan requests for the slavery practice masked as culture to be stopped. Rainy said the government needs to intervene and establish affirmative policies to eliminate the practice of slavery.
She acknowledged that the government has not been firm in handling cases of slavery masked as culture in Sumba. Although she realizes that many government officials in Sumba apparently come from the Maramba clan, Rainy still insists on the need for intervention from higher authorities to stop cultural practices that violate human rights.
"Up to now, the reporting access for Ata (servants) regarding human rights violations or gender-based violence they experience is almost non-existent because they live in domination, ignorance, and fear," said Rainy.
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