Human Rights Commission Asks for House’s Support
Thursday, 23 November, 2006 | 16:00 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The Human Rights National Commission (Komnas HAM) has asked for the support of the House of Representatives (DPR) to urge the President’s ordering the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) and the police to soon investigate the case of making activists disappear in 1998.

The Commission also asked the government to find and return the kidnap victims to their families under any condition.

Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara, Komnas HAM’s Chairman, said so far there had not been not any source that could confirm the victims’ condition.

“The state, in this case the government, must be responsible,” said Abdul Hakim during a meeting with the House Commission for Law at the parliament complex, yesterday (22/11).

Komnas HAM, in its research into the cases of 13 activists kidnapped between 1997 and 1998, found the occurrence of suspected human rights violations.

The research results will be conveyed to AGO for follow up to investigation level.

Komnas HAM also asked the DPR to recommend the President to set up an ad hoc human rights court for these cases.

However, the AGO insisted that in accordance with State Decree No. 26/2000 on human rights courts, any investigation and setting up of a human rights case court must wait for the DPR’s recommendation.

“The decision makers are at Senayan (DPR), not here (the AGO),” said Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh, on Friday (17/11).

Trimedya Panjaitan, Head of the Law Commission, said that the AGO could follow up Komnas HAM’s report by investigating while waiting for DPR’s recommendation to establish an ad hoc human rights court.

“The processes can go in parallel,” he said.

According to him, the AGO’s duty is to carry out investigation without waiting for DPR’s recommendation.

The investigation result, said Trimedya, can be taken into consideration as to whether an ad hoc human rights court is necessary or not.

Komnas HAM’s working meeting with the Law Commission yesterday also agreed for an informal meeting with the AGO in order to unify perceptions as regards a solutions to cases of making people disappear by force.

Aqida Swamurti