The Social Movement of Gross Human Rights Violations: The Role of

Paguyuban Perempuan Banyumas (PPB) in Defending the Citizens Rights of

Their Members

Adi Prayitno, Ahmad Sabiq

This study aimed to describe the role of the Paguyuban Perempuan Banyumas (PPB) whose
members are mostly the victims of gross human rights violations after the '65 tragedy. It focused
on their social movement in defending the fulfillment of the basic rights of its members as a
citizen of Indonesia and the challenges they faced in doing such movement. The research used
qualitative methods with a case study approach. Data was collected through in-depth interviews,
observation and documentation. Informants were selected using purposive sampling. The
findings showed that in carrying out its role PPB has made some movement as follows: 1) the
narrative movement. PPB encourages victims of human rights violations to speak the truth about
human rights violations they have experienced and suffered 2) advocacy movement. PPB along
with women victims of human rights violations from other regions have made a complaint to
Komnas Perempuan (National Commission for Women), Komnasham (National Human Rights
Commission), DPR (National Parliament) and also influential public figures. This kind of
movement is intended to make their voices heard at the national level 3) Reconciliation
movement. PPB set up reconciliation both culturally and structurally which is intended to protect
their members from further discrimination and to persuade community in order to treat them as
human beings. Challenges faced by PPB were internal challenges in the form of very deep
trauma, poor economic conditions and the prohibition to participate in PPB by their children.
Meanwhile, external challenges take the form of negative stigma which is still strongly attached
in the public minds and the partial acceptance of their existence as citizens by the society.
Keywords: social movement, human rights violations, 65 tragedy