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If my child is naughty, the villagers here like to say, “Uh, the child is basically a bastard. This is not your region.
This region is indigenous.” I would feel very ashamed, oppressed . . . insecure and like to stay at home alone. My son
and I were often evicted from my parents’ house. We moved and stayed at my brother’s house, but also evicted [from
there]. We often moved from house to house. My family was often angry with me and with my child . . . “The two of
you must leave this house. Don’t make this an illicit house.” 67
Five years later, a similar incident occurred. A soldier with Infantry Battalion 752, Sorong, West Papua,
approached this victim and her family, requesting permission to date her and promising he would be
responsible. However, after dating for two months, the victim was forced to have repeated intercourse with
this soldier, and finally became pregnant. The perpetrator was still on duty in the location, but no longer
cared about his “girlfriend”. Up to now this woman remains afraid to report this case to the sub-district
military command for fear her family will be intimidated. 68
In 2008, another indigenous woman experienced similar sexual exploitation. A member of Infantry
Battalion 320 approached the woman and her family. Their dating relationship continuesd until there was
forced sexual intercourse. The rapes continued until finally the woman became pregnant and then was
abandoned by the perpetrator. 69
The cases listed in the matrix below reflect that sexual exploitation and violence by border troops was a
pattern of state violence that occurred in a number of villages that formed the basis of border security
forces.
Victims of Sexual Violence by Border Security Forces
Merauke District, 2001–09
MER04, Md A soldier with Infantry Battalion 733 who was on duty at a post in one village from 2001–02
wooed Md by bringing her rice and canned fish, cooking and eating it together with Md and
her family. Eventually, Md also wanted a sexual relationship. When she became pregnant, the
soldier ordered her to drink young pineapple, but the effort to abort the fetus failed. When he
left to return to Ambon, the soldier gave his HP number to Md, but it turned out to be the
number of someone else. Md felt cheated and that she was worthless. Every day her parents
were anger with her. After giving birth, her child was taken to be raised by Md’s older sibling.
MER09, Mi
The perpetrator, from Infantry Battalion 733, often went to Mi’s house while on duty in her
village, beginning in 2001, when Mi was still in the third grade of junior high school, until
2002. He would break in through a door or window while Mi was napping and no one else
was in the house. He stabbed Mi with a piece of wood that was leaning againg the wall of the
house, and ripped her blouse. Mi was pregnant when the perpetrator moved to another
location. Mi was given the new address, but it was not the actual one. She gave birth to a girl
in March 2003.
67 MER01 narrative.
68 Ibid.
69 MER27 narrative.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! 34