House Has The Right To Decide
Tuesday, 13 February, 2007 | 17:24 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF HUMAN RIGHTS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS HARKRISTUTI HARKRISNOWO STATED THAT CASES OF SERIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS MUST BE DECIDED THROUGH A POLITICAL PROCESS DESPITE THE LEGAL PATH.

“IT IS THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (DPR) WHICH HAS THE RIGHT TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT SERIOUS VIOLATIONS WERE COMMITTED,” SAID HARKRISTUTI IN A WORKING MEETING WITH THE LAW COMMISSION AT DPR YESTERDAY (02/12) IN JAKARTA. THE REASON WAS THAT, HE WENT ON, MANY CASES OF SERIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS OCCURRED BEFORE LAW NUMBER 26/2000 WAS STIPULATED.

THE INVESTIGATION THAT THE NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS CONDUCTED SOME TIME AGO CONCLUDED THAT THERE WERE SERIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN THE TRISAKTI INCIDENT IN 1998, SEMANGGI TRAGEDY I AND II, MAY CONFLICT IN 1998 AND THE ABDUCTION OF 13 ACTIVISTS DURING 1997-1998. THE CONCLUSION WAS THEN REPORTED TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE (AGO).

HOWEVER, THE AGO STATED THAT IT COULD NOT PROCEED WITH THE INVESTIGATION. THE REASON WAS THAT, IN ADDITION TO A DIFFERENT PERCEPTION TO HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION, BASED ON LAW NUMBER 26/2000 ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS COURT, ALL CASES THAT OCCURRED BEFORE THE LAW WERE LEGALIZED WILL BE INVESTIGATED AND RULED BY THE AD HOC HUMAN RIGHTS COURT THAT DPR RECOMMENDED.

MEANWHILE, VICTIMS OF SERIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS' FAMILIES WERE DISAPPOINTED AT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE LAW COMMISSION AT DPR'S ATTITUTUDE. THEY SAID THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS RUINED ITS MANDATE AS THE GOVERNMENT'S INVESTIGATOR. “IT IS BETTER THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS RELIEVED,” SAID THE COORDINATOR OF THE MISSING PERSON ALLIANCE MUGIYANTO.

THE VICTIMS' FAMILIES HAVE ASKED THAT COMMISSION III OF THE DPR, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AND NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS MEET. MUGIYANTO SAID THAT THE MEETING WILL BE A CRUCIAL EFFORT TO FIND A WAY OUT REGARDING HUMAN RIGHTS LAW ENFORCEMENT IN INDONESIA. “DO NOT SACRIFICE US ONCE AGAIN,” HE SAID.

ERWIN DARIYANTO | SANDY IP