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EU must press government on accountability for past human rights violations
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Statement - November 10, 2014
The two organizations made the call ahead of the 5th EU-Indonesia Human Rights Dialogue, scheduled for 11 November in Jakarta.
"President Widodo's camp has already backtracked on several human rights commitments made during the election campaign. The EU must remind the Indonesian government that tackling rampant impunity for past abuses is a necessary prerequisite for building a just, stable, and prosperous democracy," said FIDH President Karim Lahidji.
During the Presidential election campaign, Joko Widodo, popularly known as 'Jokowi', outlined his vision, mission, and working programs for Indonesia. Widodo listed several key human rights pledges, which included addressing impunity for past human rights violations.
FIDH and KontraS believe that recent statements from Widodo's administration are at odds with the President's promise to address the issue of accountability for past abuses.
In September, Andi Widjajanto, then head of Widodo's transition team and now Cabinet Secretary, said that investigating past human rights violations was not on an immediate priority of the new administration. Widjajanto also ruled out any additional investigation into the murder of human rights defender Munir Said Thalib and declared that the case was considered closed. While three persons were convicted in connection with the murder, no attempt has been made to identify, prosecute, and punish those who actually planned and ordered Munir's death.
Widjajanto also backpedaled on Jokowi's promise to set up a long-awaited ad hoc human rights court tasked with hearing cases of past human rights violations. Widjajanto indicated that establishing such a court would be impossible in the near future due to lack of funding.
"EU officials must demand the Indonesian government thoroughly investigate past human rights abuses committed by the military and other law enforcement agencies and bring the perpetrators to justice," said KontraS Executive Director Haris Azhar.
Authorities must investigate the role that military and law enforcement agencies played in important events of Indonesia's recent past, including: the massacre in Talangsari Village, Lampung Province, where at least 47 local villagers were killed and 88 disappeared in February 1989; the May 1998 riots in North Sumatra, Jakarta, and Central Java; the abduction and torture of 23 pro-democracy students in 1997-1998; and the killing of at least 19 students and protestors by security forces at Jakarta's Semanggi intersection in two separate incidents on 13 November 1998 and 24 September 1999 (commonly known as Semanggi tragedy 1 & 2).
Despite Indonesia's National Human Rights Commission's (Komnas HAM) investigations into these incidents, the Attorney General's Office has so far failed to initiate any criminal charges for prosecution. In some cases, the Attorney General's Office cited the lack of an ad hoc human rights court as the reason for its inaction.
"The administration's statements are a big disappointment for those who saw Jokowi as a clean break from the previous administrations' failure to address impunity. To add insult to injury, Jokowi's recent political appointments make the prospect of fostering a culture of accountability for human rights violations more remote," said Mr. Azhar.
On 26 October, President Widodo appointed Ryamizard Ryacudu as new Defense Minister. Ryamizard is a former Army general who oversaw military operations against pro-independence movements in East Timor, Aceh, and Papua, all of which resulted in serious human rights violations against civilians, including extrajudicial killings and torture.
In August, Widodo appointed Abdullah Mahmud Hendropriyono as advisor to his transition team. Hendropriyono, a former National Intelligence Agency (BIN) Chief and retired general from the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus), has been suspected of having played a role in the murder of Munir as well as in the Talangsari massacre.
In addition, media reports claim that President Widodo is now considering officials with a tainted human rights record for the position of BIN Chief. Candidates believed to have been shortlisted for the job include former BIN Deputy Chief As'ad Said Ali, former Jakarta military commander Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, and former governor and Jakarta military commander Sutiyoso. As'ad was long thought to have been involved in the murder of Munir. Many believed Sjafrie and Sutiyoso were responsible for orchestrating the 1998 May riots in Jakarta, which resulted in the enforced disappearance of several students and activists. Sutiyoso was also suspected of being a commander of a military unit responsible for the killing of five Australian journalists during operations in Balibo, East Timor, in 1975.
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