Ita Martadinata Haryono
Encyclopedia
Ita Martadinata Haryono was an Indonesia
n human rights
activist
, who was murder
ed in 1998, a case which is still unsolved.
Her real name was Martadinata Haryono, however, she was better known by her nickname, Ita. At the age of 18 and while a senior year student in her high school
, Ita was found dead on October 9, 1998 in her bedroom in Central Jakarta
. Her stomach, chest, and right arm were stabbed
ten times, while her neck was slashed. The murder occurred just three days after a Jakarta
press conference held by the human rights organizations Ita had been involved with. The groups claimed that several of their members had received death threats in an attempt to stop them calling for an international investigation into the gang-rape
s, murder, and burning of Indonesian Chinese girls and women during the May 1998 riot
; a riot which ultimately forced Suharto to step down from the presidency.
Police concluded that Ita's death was an ordinary crime, committed by a drug addict who had entered Ita's home to rob it. According to the police statement, he was caught in the act by Ita and therefore decided to kill her. However, others question this statement because Ita and her mother, Wiwin Haryono, were due to leave in a few days for the United States
together with four victims of the May 1998 riot to present their testimony before the U.S. Congress. Ita and her mother had been deeply involved in giving help and counseling
to the victims of the riot.
The group Ita and her mother had worked most closely with, an organization called Tim Relawan (the Volunteer Team for Humanity), concluded that Ita's murder was a warning to them and others who were involved in this humanitarian
effort, to discontinue their activities.
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
activist
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
, who was murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ed in 1998, a case which is still unsolved.
Her real name was Martadinata Haryono, however, she was better known by her nickname, Ita. At the age of 18 and while a senior year student in her high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, Ita was found dead on October 9, 1998 in her bedroom in Central Jakarta
Central Jakarta
Central Jakarta is one of the five cities which form Jakarta, Indonesia. It had 898,883 inhabitants at the 2010 Census.Central Jakarta is the smallest in area and population of the five cities of Jakarta. It is the administrative and political center of Jakarta and Indonesia...
. Her stomach, chest, and right arm were stabbed
Stabbing
A stabbing is penetration with a sharp or pointed object at close range. Stab connotes purposeful action, as by an assassin or murderer, but it is also possible to accidentally stab oneself or others.Stabbing differs from slashing or cutting in that the motion of the object used in a stabbing...
ten times, while her neck was slashed. The murder occurred just three days after a Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
press conference held by the human rights organizations Ita had been involved with. The groups claimed that several of their members had received death threats in an attempt to stop them calling for an international investigation into the gang-rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
s, murder, and burning of Indonesian Chinese girls and women during the May 1998 riot
Jakarta Riots of May 1998
The May 1998 Riots of Indonesia were incidents of mass violence that occurred throughout Indonesia, mainly in Medan in the province of North Sumatra , the capital city of Jakarta , and Surakarta in the province of Central Java...
; a riot which ultimately forced Suharto to step down from the presidency.
Police concluded that Ita's death was an ordinary crime, committed by a drug addict who had entered Ita's home to rob it. According to the police statement, he was caught in the act by Ita and therefore decided to kill her. However, others question this statement because Ita and her mother, Wiwin Haryono, were due to leave in a few days for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
together with four victims of the May 1998 riot to present their testimony before the U.S. Congress. Ita and her mother had been deeply involved in giving help and counseling
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...
to the victims of the riot.
The group Ita and her mother had worked most closely with, an organization called Tim Relawan (the Volunteer Team for Humanity), concluded that Ita's murder was a warning to them and others who were involved in this humanitarian
Humanitarianism
In its most general form, humanitarianism is an ethic of kindness, benevolence and sympathy extended universally and impartially to all human beings. Humanitarianism has been an evolving concept historically but universality is a common element in its evolution...
effort, to discontinue their activities.