At 9.15 am, May 14th, 1998 a huge crowd had gathered around our apartment. They screamed, "Let's butcher the Chinese!", "Let's eat pigs!", "Let's have a party!" We live of the 7th floor and we got a call from a family on the 3rd floor saying that the crowd had reached the 2nd floor. They even chased some occupants upstairs. We were all very frightened. In our fright we prayed and left everything in God's hands.
Afterward we left our room and went upstairs to the top floor, as it was impossible to go downstairs and escape. We got to the 15th floor and stayed with some friends. Not long afterwards we were surprised because some of the crowd coming out of the elevators right before we entered the room. We hurried into the room and locked the door tightly. At that time we heard them knock at the other rooms loudly and there were some screams from women and girls. Our room was filled with fear.
 NOTICE: THIS PHOTO HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE FAKE. This is supposedly a photo taken of Chinese women being raped during the May 13-15 Riots in Indonesia which brought down President Suharto on May 21. In reality, this photo was taken from a porn web site. |
Uncle Dodi kept trying to stop them by offering money. His efforts were fruitless. And in the end 5 people raped Fenny. Before beginning with the raping they always said "Allahu Akbar" (an Islamic phrase in Arabic meaning "God is great". They were ferocious and brutal.
Not long afterward, around 9 men came to the room and dragged me. I also saw them forcing and dragging my Aunt Vera. But at that time I passed out and everything went blank. I became conscious at around 5 or 6 PM. My head hurted and I realized I had no clothing on my body. I cried and realized my family was still there. My father was hugging my mother and little bother Doni. I also saw uncle Dodi lying on the floor and Aunt Vera was crying over his body. I felt so weak and fainted again.
The next day I was in the Pluit hospital. My father and mother were beside me. With all the pains on my body I asked, "Mom, why Fenny. Mom?" I felt a stinging pain as I said these words. My cheeks were swollen. My mother cried again and couldn't speak any words, while my father, holding back his tears, managed to smile at me. After 4 days in treatment, my condition has improved. With a sad look, my father told me then what had happened. After I fainted 7 people raped me. At that time my father still couldn't see well after being hit with a piece of wood. They raped me repeatedly. Then my father said "Vivian, Fenny is gone..."
I was confused and cried out, "Why Dad?" My father couldn't answer. He told me to rest and went out of the room. I cried over and over again, feeling that my life had no meaning any more. A week ago, after I was released from the hospital I was told everything that had happened.
When Fenny was raped she kept on fighting and so she was repeatedly slapped by her rapists. The last time she fought Fenny spitted on one of them. Offended, the man grabbed a knife and stabbed Fenny's stomach over and over again. Finally she died with blood over her whole body.
My father told me that uncle Dodi had the same fate watched by aunt Vera who was also raped. "God...why should all of this happen? Where are you God? Are you still alive?" My aunt Vera now stays with her parents. She is in shock. Her face is blank and refuses to eat. Almost every hour my mother and I cry over all these happenings. I can never forget.