Jokowi Urged to Take Human Rights Violation Issue Seriously

Liputan6.com, Jakarta Violation of human rights has always been one of the principal issues for the Indonesian government. The prolongation of scores of unresolved cases in the past decades consequently resulted with many people questioning the very quintessential of ‘democracy’ and whether or not such ideology is appropriately implemented in a country where dozens of violations have been officially detected and labeled as serious form of crime against humanity and the overall values of a democratic nation.

It has been learned that the continuous failure to address or to sort out cases concerning human rights violation rooted from the fact that those cases have always been handled by the central government and therefore likely to allow for biased perception to come into play and hinder the process of resolving such matter.

The Non-Governmental Organization for Democracy and Peace prominently known as Setara Institute has spent a credible amount of time researching on the advocacy relating to democratic gesture and aimed at the fulfillment of the societal needs. In responding to the growing concern regarding the encroachment of individuals’ liberties in the past, Setara Institute went to propose the notion of having carefully selected ad hoc commission that works independently in addressing human rights related issues with zero reliance to both central and regional government. They perceived government’s intervention as a major hindrance limiting possibilities for each case to reach conclusion and for the subjugated victims to attain justice.

“The ad hoc commission should be a contingent filled with individuals earning positive public figure status in the social spectrum representing the voices of people and highly committed in the attainment of justice, humanity and human rights. These individuals should not be the representatives from Ministries or any other national institution including the police force, Armed Forces, Intelligence Agency. They need to be the kind of people that does not represent the government but stand on their own ground when it comes to fighting against injustice,” Setara Institute Deputy, Bonar Tigor Naipospos spoke in his office on Monday 28 September 2015.

According to Bonar, the ad hoc commission will have its function as the truth revealer and intensive examination as well as probing on the long neglected cases ought to be taken much more seriously for the future to come. Every little detail matters starting from collecting documents relevant to the events which suggest the conduction of any form of human violation done within the country.

Data of previous human rights violations within the Indonesian region and/or done by the Indonesian force successfully collected and probed by Setara Institute include:

 -Large-scale massacre in 1965 with casualties reaching 1,5 million people.

- Balibo case on October 16 1975 where five Australian journalists were supposedly murdered following Indonesia’s incursions in East Timor.

- Malari case on January 15 1974 killing dozens of university students who staged a violent demonstration rejecting the presence of Japanese Prime Minister in the country and caused for acute social upheaval in ramification to that in the area of Senen, Central Jakarta.

-Kedung Ombo case in 1985 where thousands were victimized following a series of their popular outcry refusing to comply with the eviction notice from the government which was designed to make drastic alteration of the residential area and transform it into a dam to facilitate the operation of electricity power plants.

-The mysterious shootings of more than 1500 people from the period of 1982 through to 1985.

-The unresolved East Timor Referendum case which resulted with the death of hundred thousands of people from the period of 1974 to 1999.

-1998 slaughter case in Banyuwangi reportedly using ‘black magic’ as primary instrument to victimize dozens.

-Marsinah case in 1995 with 1 victim recorded.

-Bulukumba case in 2003 causing for the death of 2 people, detainment of dozens of people and scores of injured individuals.

-Death of Indonesian journalist from Bernas Yogyakarta, Fuad Muhammad Syafruddin in 1996.

-Talangsari Lampung case in 1989 with victims amounting to 803 people.

-1998 shooting of 685 Trisakti University students

-May 1998 ramification to global economic crisis spurring domestic upheaval which consequently led to the escalating number of victims to 1.308.

-Semanggi case I in 1998 victimizing 127 people.

-Semanggi case II in 1999 victimizing 228 people.

- 23 activists kidnapping case in 1998.

-The murder of Indonesian activist, Munir on September 6 2004. (Akp/Ein)