Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono met with Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) coordinator Usman Hamid and family members of victims of violence and human rights violations at the presidential offices in Jakarta on Wednesday March 26. The meeting was held at the Palace complex because the president was unable to be present at an event commemorating the tenth anniversary Kontras.

Following the meeting, one of the family members said that the protest actions would continue until the government’s commitment becomes a reality. The “Thursday Actions” (one-hour protests held every Thursday in front of the State Place) would continue until the perpetrators are taken before a human rights ad hoc court.

“Our actions are actions to combat forgetfulness. We will continue to hold Thursday Actions until a human rights ad hoc court is established to [try] the Semanggi I, Semanggi II and [student activist] abduction cases”, said Sumarsih (55) at the presidential offices.

Sumarsih is the mother of Wawan, an Atma Jaya Catholic University student who was killed during the Semanggi tragedy in 1998. In addition to Sumarsih, Kontras also brought family members of victims of the Talangsari case in Lampung to meet with the president.

“We also conveyed the hopes of victims of violence and human rights violations that efforts at a legal resolution and the search for justice be undertaken”, said Hamid.

“With regard to the statement made by Deputy Attorney General for special crimes Kemas Yahya on the disappearance of the case files on Trisakti, Semanggi I, Semanggi II and the abductions, the president has instructed the cabinet secretary to check with the Attorney General,” said Hamid.

Public mandate to resolved cases

Speaking separately yesterday, advocate Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara gave his views on the difference of opinion between Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono and the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) on the summoning of retired Indonesian military (TNI) officers implicated in various cases of human rights violations.

Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara said that the actions by Komnas HAM are protected under law. Moreover, what is being done by Komnas HAM represents the mandate of the public’s consciousness.

“This mandate is in the form of the wishes or values that live within the soul of all citizens stating that responsibility must be taken for all human rights violations. The victims must be given justice”, he said. Because of this therefore, it is unfair to claim that it is as if Komnas HAM seeking to create problems by summoning retired TNI officers.

Separately, National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) Governor Muladi called on Komnas HAM to act persuasively and not be proactive concerning its efforts to fully resolve all of the cases of suspected gross human rights violations, particularly past violations related to former senior military officers. This proactive approach became apparent when Komnas HAM declared it would take on all suspect past human rights violations (INU/DWA/JOS)

[Translated by James Balowski.]