Indonesian LGBTI organisation appeals for donations

Jakarta, 22 August 2008: Arus Pelangi is an LGBTI [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersexual] organization advocating the rights of people with different sexual orientations and gender identities in Indonesia. Our aim is to foster respect and acceptance of LGBTI people in Indonesian society.
Murder exploited in anti-gay media frenzy
Recently, Indonesia has been convulsed by the news of a serial killer who happens to be gay. His sexuality has become the focal point of the media and public figures, which is beginning to manifest into a backlash against LGBTI in this country. This why Arus Pelangi is appealing to you for support.
The suspect Verry Idham Henryansyah (30), better known as Ryan, was arrested on July 16, 2008, on allegations of the murder and mutilation of Heri Susanto (40) in South Jakarta. During interrogation he soon confessed not only to the killing of Heri, but also a string of other murders that took place in his hometown Jombang, East Java. So far, the police have found the remains of10 bodies in the backyard of Ryan’s parents’ house. They suspect that more bodies will be found. In the meantime, a media frenzy has erupted, with daily headlines in newspapers and prominent talk shows on TV.
The mass media was very quick to point out the link between gays and brutality. A battery of experts including criminologists, psychologists and sociologists were asked the over and over whether gays were inclined to be more jealous when losing a partner than heterosexuals; whether they would react more violently when jealous and so on… Some experts have supported that train of thought, others flatly reject it. But the damage has already been done; in the mind of the ordinary people their prejudices against gays have been confirmed. Even as it became clearer that the suspect committed these crimes out of desire for the belongings of the victims – the police have retrieved motorbikes, laptops, cell phones, jewelry, etc. of the victims from the suspect’s house or from people linked to the suspect.
Stigmatisation & backlash
The stigmatization continues; it has become common to underscore any crime involving gays, lesbians and transgenders in the headlines.
The backlash has become eminent. Conservative religious leaders are among the loudest to condemn gays and lesbians to hell and to call on the police to curb the activities of gays, lesbians and transgender persons, especially targeting common hang-out spots.
Now the police are under increased pressure to do something, or at least to appear as if they are doing something. The Regional Police Force has declared that they will not exclude the possibility of raiding gay hang-outs. True to their word, local police units have raided several places; the latest case was the Moonlight Disco in Central Jakarta.
On August 4 the local police raided this popular disco. The official reason was to look for people who knew Ryan. In reality, no arrests were made that night; the management and Arus Pelangi staff who happened to be there were able to persuade the 30-officer police team that there was no need to conduct mass arrests if they were only looking for information. In the end, the police searched those in attendance for drugs; they found some ecstasy that had been thrown on the ground. Nonetheless, such stories are typical for sensation-hungry tabloids such as Nonstop; this time they want too far by reporting a complete lie.
Arus Pelangi counters prejudice
Openly LGBTI-supporting organizations, such as Arus Pelangi, have come under intense attention from the media. In late July and early August no day passed without a phone call requesting an interview for a newspaper or (live) talkshow. Arus Pelangi has had to assign several spokespersons to fill the demand. It had the difficult task of countering these unsavory pronouncements coming from experts, religious leaders and law enforcers.
To a small degree Arus Pelangi has succeeded in mitigating the effect of massive stigmatization of LGBTI in general and gays in particular. On a few occasions Arus Pelangi was able to persuade journalists to write a more balanced story about LGBTI persons. But overall we lost the battle; there is still widespread anguish and fear among LGBTI communities throughout Indonesia.
So, we have to continue to speak out against stigmatization carried out by the media and conservative groups, and against the police who have served to reinforce the prejudices against LGBTI. We have incurred many expenses in monitoring LGBTI hang-outs, negotiating with law enforcers, holding press conferences, etc.
Here is where you can help us. Any donation will mean a lot to us.

Account holder : LSM Perkumpulan Arus Pelangi
Account number : 1230004556470
Bank name : Bank Mandiri
SWIFT code : BEIIIDJA
Branch name : Salemba Raya, Jakarta
Branch address : Jalan Salemba Tengah No. 4B
Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia
Phone +62-21-3907605
E-mail Address: arus_pelangi@yahoo.co.id

Of course, sending a Moneygram by Western Union or DHL is also possible.
We would appreciate if you could notify us after making a transfer, so we can better track the transfers, however your right to anonymity is also respected.
Thank you very much for your attention and concern.
Rido Triawan
Chairperson
Arus Pelangi

• See also Indonesia: Murder sparks anti-gay hysteria