Commission on Human Rights Feels Offended by the Attorney General's Office
Friday, 04 April, 2008 | 15:31 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) is disappointed by the Attorney General's Office (AGO) as they returned the investigative documents for human rights violations to the commission. The documents were sent by courier and not delivered directly to commission members.

“It is an important document. I don't understand why they sent it by courier and left it at the security office. Who will be responsible if it’s lost?” said Hesti Armiwulan, a commission member, at a press conference in Jakarta yesterday. Hesti confirmed the commission had not received the documents. There is no written record about the documents’ submission.

“Until now we don't know what it is and how many of them there are,” said Hesti. The document submission should be done directly between the investigators from AGO and the Commission.


The AGO returned four sets of investigative documents on the human rights violation to the National Commission on Human Rights on Tuesday. They consist of the cases of Wamena-Wasior, the Trisakti tragedy, Semanggi I and II, the riot of May 1998, and mysterious kidnappings.

The Wamena-Wasior document was returned because it's not complete. Documents for the Trisakti tragedy, Semanggi I and II were returned because the perpetrators had been put on trial and convicted by military court. Documents for the riot of May 1998 and mysterious kidnappings were returned because it cannot be processed until the ad hoc human rights court is established.

However, Hesti said that the AGO actually can return the investigative documents.

“The documents’ return is a substantive matter and not technical or administrative ,” she said. The AGO should explain which data is not complete and what advice should be added .

Head of the Information Center of AGO, Bonaventura Daulat Nainggolan, denies the AGO returned the documents by courier to the Commission. It was sent by echelon III AGO's staff. “It was not sent by courier,” he said. “We contacted the Commission's head before returning it,” he said.

Regarding the commission's request for the AGO to explain, Nainggolan said that the AGO has put advice in every document. The point is, he said, the Trisakti, Semanggi I and II, cannot be processed because the perpetrators had been prosecuted and fired from their positions. “One person cannot be put on trial twice in the same case.”

Tetty Herati, mother of Elang Mulya, victim from the Trisakti tragedy said she was disappointed. She thought the government is not willing to solve the case that has killed her son. “It has been 10 years without result,” she said. She hoped the Trisakti case can be brought to the ad hoc Human Rights court . “We're not looking for the shooter but someone behind it who created the riot.”

SUTARTO | RINI KUSTIANI