Unfortunately, reports reflect that the minority Chinese ethnic and religious population has been the target of most of the riot activity. This reflects a terrible violation of human rights abuses and a limit to basic freedoms for the general Indonesian population as a whole. It is an understatement to say that the economic and political situation in Indonesia has been highly unstable in these past 8 or 9 months. Indonesians have lost their life savings. They have struggled to get food for their families, they live in fear of losing their lives in the riots which occurred.
Reports suggest that the ethnic Chinese only leave homes to go to and from work.
Otherwise they stay hidden. Despite the change in the leadership of Indonesia's government on May 21, the rapes and other human rights abuses continue. In the midst of this turmoil and even before the current chaos began another group has suffered and continues to suffer as victims of violence and arson. The Indonesian Christian population has borne tremendous difficulty as government troops have closed churches and places of worship. Further, angry mobs have ransacked and destroyed their churches.