AGO Not to Follow Up on Cases of Serious Human Rights Violation
Tuesday, 30 January, 2007 | 12:53 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh has stated that it is no way that Attorney General's Office (AGO) can follow up on investigations by the National Commission of Human Rights regarding cases of serious human rights violation.

“Because there were differences of perception concerning the court’s handling of serious human rights violation,” he said during a working meeting with the House of Representatives (DPR) yesterday (01/29) in Jakarta.

Abdul Rahman explained that before Law Number 26/2000 on Human Rights Court had been passed, many human rights violations were committed.

Therefore, he continued, the provision of Article 43 of Law on Human Rights Court stated that all violations occurred before the Law would be investigated, and that ad hoc Human Rights court will deliver verdicts on them.

Based on the law, said Abdul Rahman, the AGO cannot follow up on investigations that the Human Rights National Commission has conducted.

The investigations included: the abduction case of activists in 1997-1998; the Tanjung Priok case in 1984; and the East Timor case in 1999.

“However, this doesn't mean that the AGO has never carried out an investigation,” said Abdul Rahman.

The ad hoc human rights court, he said , was formed by the DPR, therefore, it will actually depended on DPR's recommendation for establishing the court.

Head of the DPR Law Commission Trimedya Panjaitan said that he will set up a special meeting with the AGO as regards cases of serious human rights violations.

SANDY INDRA PRATAMA