Govt Must Solve Human Rights Cases: Witness and Victim Protection Agency

TheIndonesia.co - Deputy chairman of Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) Edwin Partogi Pasaribu called for the Indonesian government to continue investigating and to immediately solve serious human rights violations.

Pasaribu said the government must take the judicial approach to solve the cases or consult to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was set up as an effort to resolve past human rights cases.

“We continue to push the government to solve serious human rights violations through judicial approach or the KKR,” he said.

He added that rehabilitation for victims that the Agency has been providing for almost ten years shouldn’t be considered an act impunity of perpetrators. The service given to 3,962 human rights violation victims since 2012 isn’t a substitution for victims to seek truth and justice.

In the remaining period of Joko Widodo’s presidency, Pasaribu hoped the President manages to bring justice for victims.

“In the next three years, President Joko Widodo should be able to finish the homework to bring justice to the victims of serious human rights violations.”

According to him, LPSK has been assisting the victims of seven serious human rights cases, including the 1965 mass killings, 1984 Tanjung Priok massacre, 1989 Talangsari incident, 1990-99 Rumoh Geudong Aceh incident, 1997-98 kidnappings, 1999 Simpang Kertas Kraft Aceh incident, and 2003 Jambo Keupok incident.

LPSK provides a number of services to these victims, including medical, psychological, and psycho-social rehabilitations.

Victims that have been rehabilitated by the Agency came from 20 provinces in Indonesia, including Central Java (2,488), West Sumatra (538), Yogyakarta (284), West Java (178), and East Java (152).

In addition to the seven cases, the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has also determined eight other cases as serious human rights violations. Those cases are the 1982-85 mysterious shootings, Trisakti incident, Semanggi I and Semanggi II incidents, 1998 Banyuwangi massacre, Wasior and Wamena incidents, Timor Leste incident, Abepura incident, and 2014 Paniai incident.

Previously in November, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD commented on the 13 cases, saying that nine out of the casess happened before 2000, or before Law No. 26/2000 on Human Rights Court was passed.

In order to process and resolve the nine cases, Mahfud said the House of Representatives (DPR) should deliberate whether Komnas HAM’s recommendation should be acted upon. If so, DPR should deliver their thoughts to the President.