Jakarta – A joint report by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) and the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) has found that the number of human rights violations have risen post-reformasi – the political reform process that began in 1998.
The report, titled Shadows and Clouds: Human Rights in Indonesia – Shady Legacy, Uncertain Future, found that although there have been improvements, serous human rights violations are still taking place and, moreover have been escalating over the last two years.
Speaking in Jakarta on Friday February 11, FIDH researcher Anne-Christine Habbard said that the serious problems in upholding the commitment to human rights post-reformasi should quite rightly be questioned. Habbard cited problems such as the impunity of state security forces, the weak judicial system with regard to human rights and growing intolerance towards minorities, both ethnic as well as religious.
“In a county that practices a democratic system, the state’s treatment of minority groups is a bench mark”, said Habbard.
The joint report portrays the state of human rights enforcement post-reformasi with a focus on the years 2009-2010. There are three main problems in the commitment to uphold human rights that represent a serious challenge for Indonesia, namely the impunity of human rights violators that are also security personnel, the problem of violations in the war against terrorism and violations against minority groups.
The report notes that as of 2010 there have been 75 cases of violence against minority groups and in 2009-2010 there were 36 cases committed by security personnel in the campaign against terrorism.
“We are still surprised about the case in Pandeglang [in which three members of the Ahmadiyah minority Muslim sect were killed – JB]. All of it was actually predicted earlier by the security forces. This was not a case that erupted suddenly”, said Habbard.
Kontras coordinator Haris Azhar said that although Indonesia had adopted many laws and regulations on upholding human rights their implementation is very weak. Problems post-reformasi within the Indonesian military and national police have been addressed half-heartedly as part of their weak commitment to upholding human rights in Indonesia.
The report includes a number of recommendations including, among others, the establishment of an ad hoc court to resolve the case of activists abducted in 1997-98. (BIL)
[Translated by James Balowski.]
