Nadia Intan Fajarlie, Jakarta – Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy Chairperson Hendardi is doubtful about the function of the Team for the Non-Judicial Resolution of Past Gross Human Rights Violations (PPHAM) which has recently been formed by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.
"Nothing can be expected of this team formed by Jokowi. Never mind that several team members are very closely linked to incidents of human rights violations in Indonesia", said Hendardi in a press release received by Kompas TV on Wednesday September 21.
Moreover, said Hendardi, one of the team members [retired General Kiki Syahnakri] was clearly included on a United Nations list of senior TNI (Indonesian military) officers who are strongly suspected of being involved in gross human rights violations in East Timor.
"With a team composition like this, Jokowi's move will not garner public legitimacy or international recognition", he explained. "This move will only score an absurd achievement for Jokowi at the same time as pretending to take responsibility", he added.
Hendardi also highlighted the regulation underlying the formation of the PPHAM, namely Presidential Decree Number 17/2022 or Keppres 17/2022 which he believes is a way for Widodo to pretend to take responsibility for past human rights violations.
"This Keppres is not the way for Jokowi to take constitutional responsibility and [honor the] state's obligation to settle past human rights violations, but is pretending to be responsible for past human rights violations", he said.
President Widodo has only just formed the PPHAM which is comprised of a steering and implementation team.
The steering team is headed by Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD as the chairperson and Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy as deputy chairperson.
The steering team comprises four members, namely Justice and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani, Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini and Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko.
The implementation team meanwhile is comprised of 12 people including a chairperson, deputy chairperson, secretary and the members.
The head of the implementation team is former UN ambassador Makarim Wibisono, the deputy chairperson is former National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Chairperson Ifdhal Kasim and former Judicial Commission chairperson Suparman Marzuki as the secretary.
Notes
Former Army Deputy Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Kiki Syahnakri was appointed commander of the TNI in East Timor in September 1999 after pro-Jakarta militiamen went on a violent rampage in the wake of the independence vote. Along with former armed forces chief General Wiranto and six other senior generals, in February 2003 he was indicted for crimes against humanity by the joint UN-East Timor Special Crimes Unit.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "SETARA Institute: Tak Ada yang Bisa Diharapkan dari Tim PPHAM Bentukan Presiden Jokowi".]
