Statement on AFAD 3rd Congress

ASIAN FEDERATION AGAINST INVOLUNTARY DISAPPEARANCES - AFAD
Rm 316 Philippine Social Science Center (PSSC) Bldg., Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City 1101 Philippines Rm 316 Philippine Social Science Center (PSSC) Bldg., Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City 1101 Philippines
Phone/Fax: (632) 4546759, (632) 9274594Mobile: +62-811104495 (Chairperson) +63-917-7924058 (General Secretary)
Email: afad@surfshop.net.ph Website: www.afad-online.org


PRESS STATEMENT
Third AFAD Congress, Kathmandu, Nepal
December 16-19, 2006

December 15-19, 2006 - We, delegates to the Third AFAD Congress from India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Germany and South Africa, are gathered together here in Kathmandu, Nepal, a country which tops the list of countries which submitted cases of enforced disappearances to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (UNWGEID).

In the process of listening to each other and trying to analyze the situation of our respective countries, we have come to the conclusion that the present human rights situation in our region vis-à-vis the situation of enforced disappearances continues to happen in huge proportions in a number of our countries.

All these happen in the context of poverty and social injustice in a region which is no less affected by the war against terrorism. In some of our countries, the collapse of the peace talks between some of our governments and the armed insurgents resulted in the increase in the number of cases of involuntary disappearances. Families of the disappeared bear the brunt of this heinous crime.

In the course of our human rights work, we have lost our former Chairperson Munir, an Indonesian human rights activist killed by arsenic poisoning in a Garuda flight from Singapore to Amsterdam on September 7, 2004. Another human rights activist, Aasia Jeelani was killed by a landmine blast during an election monitoring duty in the north of Kashmir on April 20, 2004.

With the recent developments of the United Nations, most of our governments have been elected as members of the United Nations Human Rights Council who, during its historic first session in June 2007 in Geneva, Switzerland, joined the unanimous adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. They further joined the consensus when the Third Committee of the United Nations unanimously adopted the Convention in June 2006.

Ironically, however, in the Asian region, cases continue unabated and perpetrators enjoy complete impunity. In a continent with the highest number of enforced disappearances world-wide, Asian governments are faced with the challenge of ratifying the Convention on the Protection of All Persons From Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances and the consequent codification of the offense in the national legislation. This will ensure both prevention as well as resolution of past crimes, considering the continuing nature of the offense.

As we hold this Third Congress, with the theme: “Coming Together – Forging a Global Respect for the Right Not to Be Disappeared“ we look back to the past and further develop our organizational capacity to continue our struggle for truth, justice, redress and the recuperation of the historical memory of those who were made to disappear. Simultaneous with our capacity-building efforts, we perform our prophetic role of condemning the on-going phenomenon of enforced disappearances in a region bereft of human rights mechanisms for protection and prevention.

To indefatigably and unceasingly realize a world without disappearances, we the delegates and participants to the Third AFAD Congress, have reflected on the situation of each of our countries and prophetically call on our governments to exercise political will in resolving cases of disappearances that happened in the past and put to a stop this continuing scourge.

In the course of our three-day discussion and deliberation towards a more effective and unified action in solidarity with our sisters and brothers in Latin America, Africa and Europe, we have reflected on each country situation and have resolved to echo our corresponding calls to our governments to stop the practice impunity.

Aware of the continuing situation of militarization in the disputed-state of Jammu and Kashmir and the increase in the number of cases of enforced disappearances, we demand from the Indian government for the stop to the disappearances, 10,000 cases of which were perpetrated by 700,000 members of the Indian army since 1989. The Armed Forces Special Powers act which grants impunity to the army has to be immediately repealed. Moreover, since the government of India has callously refused to appoint a commission to probe into these disappearances, we demand that international organizations be allowed to conduct a probe into the disappearances in Jammu and Kashmir. In view of the non-renewal of the passport of APDP Patron, Parvez Imroz, we strongly protest the harassment to the activists of the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons and the holding of travel documents in view of India’s claim to be the world’s largest democracy.

In Indonesia, two years since the brutal murder of our Chairperson Munir, the case remains unresolved. Despite the pressure from the local and international community to impose a life time imprisonment of Garuda Airline Pilot Pollycarpus Budhiri Priyanto and to identify and prosecute the mastermind, his supposed 14-year imprisonment has been reduced to two years. A slap to the family of Munir and to the international community who struggle so hard for justice, the impunity granted to Pollycarpus has resulted in our collective outcry. Hence, we urge the Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to fully support the police investigation and order the State Intelligence Body (BIN) to fully cooperate with the investigators. To note, the Fact Finding Team on Munir’s murder, which the president himself formed, had already found the involvement of the high officers of the State Intelligence Body (BIN). The president must publicly announce result of the work of the Fact Finding Team (TPF) as stipulated in the Presidential Decree forming the Team.

Moreover, the AFAD Congress demands from the Attorney General of Indonesia the conduct of an investigation on the disappearances that occured in 1997 and 1998 and ensure the prosecution of the perpetrators through the Human Rights Court as the Inquiry of the National Commission on Human Rights (KOMNAS HAM) has found it as a continuing offense and a crime against humanity. We therefore, reiterate our call on the government of Indonesia to invite the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (UNWGEID) for an official visit.

In Nepal, while the AFAD Third Congress welcomes the recent peace agreement between the government of Nepal and the CPN Maoists as a ray of hope for victims of human rights violations, AFAD is deeply concerned with the lack of commitment of both parties in resolving the problem of impunity. Its political will to solve the problem of the recent past is a pre-requisite to a just and lasting peace.

Yet, with the still unparalleled highest record of cases of enforced or involuntary disappearances submitted to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (UNWGEID), we strongly remind the government of Nepal to implement the recommendations of the UNWGEID during its visit to the country in December 2004. The cry of Maina, mother of a victim of torture and extra-judicial execution for a fair and impartial investigation of the case and the apathy of the police to cooperate in exhuming the remains of the victims – this is a concrete example of the absence of the government’s political will to resolve the case. Thus, we recommend that both the seven-party alliances and the Maoists publicly announce their commitment to eradicate the culture of impunity, instruct all the relevant agency such as police, military and the prosecutors in doing fair and impartial investigation on the cases like that of Maina.

We likewise recommend for the establishment without delay of a high level investigating committee as promised in the peace agreement which is composed, among others, of family members of disappeared persons and the civil society organizations of Nepal. We also recommend that Nepal enact a national legislation criminalizing disappearances. As the country is in transition, we recommend for the establishment of a comprehensive transitional justice mechanism as a way forward in making peace sustainable.

In Pakistan, cases of enforced disappearances occur in the context of the war against terrorism. Families of the disappeared suffer both from the loss of their loved ones and the loss of their property brought about by the natural disasters that hit the country in the recent past. Thus, we call on the government of Pakistan to investigate these cases and the possible involvement of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

In the Philippines, with the collapse of the peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Communist Party of the Philippines, daily occurrence of cases of extra-judicial execution and disappearances in the Philippines continue unabated. We therefore, press the Philippine Government to put to a stop cases of extra judicial killings and enforced disappearances, leave no stone unturned and bring to justice the perpetrators and their masterminds and punish them to the full extent of the law. Especially at this time when the phenomenon of extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances are the order of the day, we once again remind the Philippine government of our repeated call to enact the bill criminalizing enforced disappearances into a law and be true to its having joined the consensus in adopting the United Nations Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances during both the first session of the UN Human Rights Council in June and the Third Committee of the United Nations in New York..

Crossing national and regional boundaries, we express our grave concerns over the situation of our sisters and brothers of Latin America and Africa in their untiring struggle for a world without disappeared persons.

In Argentina, after thirty years, former repressors during military rule are finally brought to justice and that the first verdicts have been spoken in cases of crimes against Humanity, including enforced disappearances. We are however, extremely concerned with the fact that one of the key witnesses in the first trial, being a survivor of secret detention camps under military rule, mysteriously disappeared on 18 September, the day he was supposed to testify in court and that his whereabouts are not yet established. We are equally concerned with the reality that human rights lawyers in Argentina have been systematically threatened to impede their work. We therefore urge the Argentine government to call for a proper investigation into the whereabouts of the disappeared key witness as well as for the establishment of an effective witness protection program.

In El Salvador, the parliament recently denied families of the disappeared the right to declare 30 August as a national day of commemoration of the approximately 8,000 persons who were disappeared by the army during the country's bloody internal armed conflict (1980-92). There is an utter lack of commitment of the succeeding post-war Salvadorian governments to the victims of human rights violations and their unwillingness to deal with past abuses. Due to an amnesty regulation that grants total impunity to the perpetrators, no one has so far been brought to justice. Thus, we call on the Salvadorian government to restore the dignity of all victims of human rights violations and their families as well as to annul the amnesty legislation that has impeded any penal prosecution of those responsible for thousands of disappearances and other gross human rights violations committed during the internal armed conflict.

We are as well shocked by the October assassination of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, murdered for her engaged commitment to report the truth about the massive human rights violations in the Republic of Chechnya, including thousands of cases of enforced disappearances, we call on the government of the Russian Federation to conduct a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation into the murder of Ms. Anna Politkovskaya to bring those responsible to justice, and to take measures to stop the ongoing horrible practice of enforced disappearance in the Republic of Chechnya.

In South Africa, , we welcome the efforts of the South African government in executing recommendations by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in conducting investigation in cases of enforced disappearances. Yet many more cases have not yet been submitted to the Truth and Justice Commission. Thus, we urge for their investigation and the prosecution of the perpetrators. Moreover, we call on the South African government to legislate enforced disappearances as a crime against humanity.

Today, the 19th of December 2006, the United Nations General Assembly is scheduled to adopt the United Nations Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. It will be a historic moment for all families of the disappeared world-wide and all those who work hand in hand with the families of the disappeared in putting to a stop this heinous crime The Convention will, indeed, serve as a legally-binding instrument among our governments for the realization of a world without disappeared persons,



SIGNED BY THE DELEGATES Third AFAD Congress on December 19, 2006 in Kathmandu, Nepal


MUGIYANTO MARY AILEEN D. BACALSO
Chairperson Secretary-General



MANDIRA SHARMA PARVEZ IMROZ
Treasurer Council Member
APDP-Kashmir


SRI SUPARYATI FAROOQ NIAZI
Council Member Council Member
KontraS – Indonesia Truth and Justice Commission
Pakistan


SHANTHA PATHIRANA SINNAL BLEGUR
Council Member Congress Delegate
CPRLD – Sri Lanka IKOHI –Indonesia

NURHASANAH YONAS MASOKA
Congress Delegate Congress Delegate
IKOHI—Indonesia KontraS-Indonesia


KOPILA ADHIKARI MUNEER A. KHAN
Congress Delegate Congress Delegate
Advocacy Forum Truth and Justice Commission
Nepal Pakistan




JENNIFER PACURSA MIA AUREUS
Secretariat Member of AFAD Secretariat Member of AFAD
Philippines Philippines



CANDY MAY NABAUNAG SAM SAMARASINGHE
Secretariat Member of AFAD Congress Delegate
Philippines Philippines


MS. PREKSHYA OIHA CRISTINA KLISSENBAUER
Forum Asia FEDEFAM Support Group
Nepal` Germany

MS. ANNETTE FINGSCHEIDT ALBAN GIFT MAHOPO
FEDEFAM Support Group CSVR
Germany South Africa

ICTJ on Cancellation of the Indonesian TRC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT
Suzana Grego
Director of Communications
TEL +1.917.703.1106
E-MAIL sgrego@ictj.org

Indonesia: Constitutional Court Strikes Down Flawed Truth Commission Law
Decision Presents Opportunity to Address Legacy of Impunity

JAKARTA, NEW YORK, December 8, 2006—The decision by Indonesia’s Constitutional Court to strike down a deeply flawed law establishing a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) is a significant first step toward affirming the rule of law and defending the rights of victims, the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) said today. By deeming the law unconstitutional, the Court has prevented the granting of amnesty to perpetrators of serious human rights abuses and reaffirmed victims’ rights to reparations.

“We are encouraged that the Constitutional Court has taken such a strong position on legislation that was significantly flawed from its inception,” said Paul van Zyl, Executive Vice President of the ICTJ and one of the first foreign experts to deliver testimony before the Court in an effort to lobby against the law. “The real challenge that Indonesia now confronts is how to ensure that victims secure the justice, truth, and reparations they deserve.”

After months of deliberation, the Constitutional Court declared that provisions of the TRC law violate Indonesia’s obligations under international law, the Indonesian Bill of Rights, and domestic human rights laws. The decision comes after two years of legal challenges brought before the Court by six Indonesian human rights and victims groups who—since the law was passed by the Representative Assembly of Indonesia in September 2004—have argued against two of its most worrying provisions. One granted the TRC the power to award amnesties to perpetrators of past crimes and barred victims from taking any future legal action against them. The second made the provision of reparations to victims contingent upon the signing of a formal statement exonerating their perpetrators.

In an amicus curiae brief submitted to the Constitutional Court in July 2006, the Center’s Paul van Zyl, accompanied by international legal experts Doug Cassel and Naomi Roht- Arriaza, further argued that the law would contravene international legal obligations and standards.
The Court’s decision has significant implications for the Indonesian and Timorese people who have long suffered the cumulative effects of Indonesia’s state-sanctioned impunity. The serious crimes process in Timor-Leste and the ad hoc trials in Jakarta are both striking examples of efforts that have been undermined by the Indonesian government’s lack of commitment to delivering genuine accountability for past abuses. In light of this unaddressed legacy and the persisting need to provide justice for victims, the ICTJ believes that the Constitutional Court’s decision must be followed by credible and comprehensive efforts to uncover the truth, promote justice, and ensure reparations for victims.

“This decision should be used as an opportunity to set Indonesia on the right path, not as an excuse to sidestep efforts to promote accountability,” said Galuh Wandita, head of the ICTJ’s Indonesia Program. “The law was flawed because it violated the rights of victims, but dispensing with the TRC won’t change the fact that those victims and their families are still waiting for truth and justice. If the government fails to pursue a credible effort to tackle past abuses, this decision will be nothing but a hollow victory and will merely serve as a continuation of the impunity that has plagued Indonesia for decades.”

Recommendations
The Center urges that the process of establishing a new TRC begins immediately and that it adheres to the following priorities:

TRC mandate must explicitly state the period, perpetrators, and crimes under investigation. An explicit mandate would help establish patterns and the systematic nature of certain serious violations rather than presenting past crimes as exclusively isolated incidents committed by individuals.

TRC legislation should explicitly reject the possibility of amnesties. Amnesties for gross violations of human rights contravene accepted international standards and perpetuate cycles of impunity by allowing perpetrators to walk free under the guise of “reconciliation”.

Protection of victims and transparency of TRC proceedings should be increased. The TRC should make robust efforts to protect victims during the proceedings, particularly because many perpetrators remain at large and hold positions of influence and power.

The TRC law must also clearly establish the extent to which proceedings will be made public to reduce confusion, increase participation, and foster public confidence in the truth-seeking process. The law must also commit the TRC to publishing and making publicly available a final report that would include comprehensive recommendations to the government.

TRC staffing process must be open and fair. The TRC should be staffed by people who have proven reputations of integrity, legal skill, and who are not implicated in past abuses, with a fair representation of gender and regional diversity. The selection process must therefore be public and not left to the decision of the president or a private panel of decision-makers.

The TRC must urgently craft a comprehensive reparations package for victims and their families and make clear its criteria for issuing such awards. Previous legislation which made reparations to victims conditional on exonerating perpetrators placed an unnecessary burden on victims by forcing them to forgive in order to receive financial awards owed to them by the government.

Future legislation must ensure a transparent and fair process for determining reparations that is completely independent from any formalized forgiveness and amnesty provisions. Non-monetary reparations should also be explored, such as communal development projects, health care, and other social benefits.

The TRC should be granted power to recommend future prosecutions. In line with the tenet that amnesties subvert accountability efforts, the TRC should reserve the power to recommend prosecutions for certain categories of violations, particularly crimes against humanity, including enforced disappearance and torture.

Sikap atas Pembatalan UU KKR oleh MK

Siaran Pers Bersama tentang Putusan MK Membatalkan UU KKR

Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi Menegaskan Kewajiban Negara untuk Menyelesaian Kasus Pelanggaran Berat HAM di masa Lalu

Kami masyarakat sipil yang peduli dengan penyelesaian pelanggaran berat HAM di Indonesia melihat bahwa Keputusan Mahkamah Konstitusi (MK) tentang pembatalan UU 27 tahun 2004 tentang Komisi Kebenaran dan Keadilan (KKR) harus dilihat sebagai bukti atas ketidak jelasan sikap Pemerintah dan DPR dalam menyelesaikan keadilan bagi korban pelanggaran berat HAM masa lalu di Indonesia. Putusan MK menunjukkan bahwa UU yang dihasilkan pemerintah bertentangan dengan konstitusi dan prinsip-prinsip penegakan HAM dan pemenuhan hak yang telah diakui secara universal.

Kami menganggap bahwa penyelesaian pelanggaran berat HAM dimasa lalu merupakan kewajiban konstitusional. Kami berpandangan bahwa putusan MK atas pembatalan UU KKR harus ditafsirkan sebagai keharusan bagi pemerintah, DPR dan Masyarakat untuk segera menyelesaikan problem pelanggaran berat HAM. Dalam penyelesaian tersebut penting untuk tetap memperhatikan hak-hak korban, seperti hak atas reparasi, hak atas keadilan dan hak atas kebenaran dan jaminan bahwa pelanggaran HAM tidak terulang kembali dimasa depan.

Kami menolak jika penyelesaian keadilan bagi korban pelanggaran berat HAM dimasa lalu tersebut ditempuh dengan mekanisme-mekanisme politik, seperti pemberian rehabilitasi semata. Perlu ditegaskan bahwa pemberian rehabilitasi tidak terlepas dari penyelesaian yang menyeluruh dengan bersama-sama perlu dilakukan penuntutan dan pengungkapan kebenaran.

Kami menegaskan bahwa penyelesaian kasus-kasus pelanggaran berat HAM masa lalu sebagai sebuah keharusan. Selain telah terjamin dalam konstitusi, sesungguhnya mekanisme penyelesaian pelanggaran HAM bisa dilakukan lewat pengadilan HAM. Oleh karenanya paska keputusan MK kemarin Pemerintah dan DPR harus menunjukkan komitmennya untuk menyelesaikan kasus-kasus pelanggaran berat HAM.

Jakarta, 8 Desember 2006
KontraS, Demos, SNB, YLBHI, IKOHI, PEC, LBH YAPHI, Imparsial, Elsam

IKOHI Attends the 5th ASP on ICC in the Hague

Dear Friends,

As part of the Coalition of the International Criminal Cout (CICC) NGO delegates, IKOHI and Elsam participate in the Fifth Assembly of States Parties (ASP) of the ICC being held in the Hague, the Netherlands from November 23 to December 1, 2006.

IKOHI has been so far doing socialization of the Rome Statute on the ICC to the victims of human rights violation in 7 regions in Indonesia. The aims of this project is to campaining for the eventual ratification of the Rome Statute on ICC by Indonesia in 2008 as stipulated in the National Action Plan on Human Rights 2004 – 2008 (Ranham), or to speed up to 2007.

Reports on the Fifth ASP will be available soon.

The Hague, Dec 1, 2006

Mugiyanto

Jaksa Agung harus Berani, Opini Kompas 28 November 2006

Kejelasan Nasib Korban Penghilangan Paksa

Mugiyanto

Setelah bekerja selama satu tahun, akhirnya pada tanggal 10 November 2006 Komnas HAM mengeluarkan laporan akhir hasil kerja Tim Ad Hoc Penyelidikan Kasus Penghilangan Orang secara Paksa selama tahun 1997-1998. Dalam laporan akhir itu Komnas HAM menyimpulkan adanya bukti permulaan yang cukup terjadinya pelanggaran HAM yang berat, khususnya kejahatan terhadap kemanusiaan.

Di akhir laporan itu, Komnas HAM menyatakan akan mengupayakan dipenuhinya hak-hak kompensasi, restitusi, dan rehabilitasi bagi para korban maupun keluarga korban dalam peristiwa tersebut.

Sebagaimana diamanatkan Undang-Undang Nomor 26 Tahun 2000, tujuh hari kemudian laporan akhir itu diserahkan Komnas HAM kepada Jaksa Agung untuk dilakukan penyidikan. Namun, belum lagi menerima laporan tersebut, Jaksa Agung Abdul Rahman Saleh sudah mengatakan tidak akan melakukan penyidikan sampai ada rekomendasi DPR agar Presiden membentuk Pengadilan HAM Ad Hoc.

Jaksa Agung sama sekali tidak mau tahu dan mengabaikan laporan dan rekomendasi Komnas HAM bahwa penghilangan paksa adalah kejahatan yang berkelanjutan (continuing crime), yang penanganannya tidak melalui mekanisme Pengadilan HAM Ad Hoc, melainkan Pengadilan HAM permanen.

Artinya, rekomendasi DPR dan pembentukan Pengadilan HAM Ad Hoc oleh Presiden tidak diperlukan sebagai syarat pelaksanaan penyidikan oleh Jaksa Agung. Bahkan, Komisi II DPR yang membidangi hukum dan HAM sendiri mengatakan bahwa Jaksa Agung harus langsung melakukan penyidikan (Kompas, 23/11).

Harapan keluarga korban

Walaupun tidak ada temuan yang baru, kesimpulan dan rekomendasi Komnas HAM bahwa kasus penghilangan paksa 1997- 1998 memenuhi unsur adanya dugaan tindak pelanggaran berat HAM dan karena itu harus dibawa ke pengadilan HAM sudah sejalan dengan harapan masyarakat, terutama keluarga korban yang telah berjuang selama delapan tahun terakhir.

Laporan dan kesimpulan Komnas HAM ini merupakan penegasan (afirmasi) dan pengakuan (acknowledgement) negara atas pengetahuan dan asumsi publik yang selama ini berkembang bahwa kasus tersebut memang tindakan pelanggaran berat HAM dalam bentuk penghilangan paksa, penyiksaan, perampasan kebebasan, dan pembunuhan yang dilakukan secara sistematis dan meluas terhadap masyarakat sipil.

Laporan Komnas HAM masih jauh dari harapan agung keluarga korban untuk mengetahui nasib dan keberadaan 13 orang yang sampai kini masih hilang entah di mana. Memang benar bahwa Komnas HAM tidak secara eksplisit memiliki mandat untuk menemukan mereka yang hilang. Namun, keluarga korban sudah telanjur berharap bahwa penyelidikan Komnas HAM akan mampu sedikit memberikan petunjuk yang mengarah pada keberadaan para korban yang masih hilang, dan bukan hanya mengenali pelaku dan penanggung jawab.

Ketidakberhasilan menemukan petunjuk yang mengarah pada keberadaan para korban ini sudah diketahui oleh keluarga korban setelah adanya penolakan pihak TNI untuk diperiksa, Jaksa Agung untuk memberikan izin kunjungan lapangan, dan pengadilan negeri untuk melakukan pemanggilan paksa pada saat penyelidikan sebelumnya. Dari pemeriksaan atas anggota TNI yang terlibat, kunjungan ke tempat-tempat penyekapan dan penyiksaan diharapkan akan mampu menemukan bukti, informasi, dan petunjuk penting yang selama ini tersembunyi rapat. Penolakan-penolakan kerja sama oleh institusi-institusi ini juga dilihat oleh keluarga korban yang setiap hari memantau kerja Komnas HAM, bahwa Komnas HAM belum cukup maksimal dan percaya diri menjalankan mandat dan wewenang yang diberikan oleh undang-undang kepada Komnas HAM.

Alat politik negara

Bagi keluarga korban, laporan penyelidikan Komnas HAM ini adalah langkah awal dari usaha besar mengungkap kebenaran sejarah dan keadilan. Dan seperti kasus-kasus lainnya, langkah lanjutan ternyata jauh lebih berat dan sulit. Terbukti belum apa-apa Jaksa Agung sudah pasang badan dengan mengatakan tidak akan melakukan penyidikan.

Ada kejanggalan di sini ketika Jaksa Agung mengambil sikap yang sama atas sebuah kasus yang tengah diselidiki dan telah diselidiki. Masih sedikit agak masuk akal ketika Jaksa Agung meminta rekomendasi DPR untuk pembentukan Pengadilan HAM Ad Hoc sebelum ia memberi izin kunjungan lapangan ke Komnas HAM, karena kasus memang sedang tahap penyelidikan. Menjadi sangat tidak masuk akal ketika proses penyelidikan Komnas HAM telah selesai dan menemukan penghilangan paksa sebagai kejahatan yang berlanjut (bukan kasus masa lalu), tetapi Jaksa Agung tetap mengambil sikap yang sama dengan ketika hasil laporan belum ada.

Jaksa Agung telah mengambil sikap menutup pintu rapat-rapat bagi pemahaman atas temuan dan pendapat Komnas HAM yang diperkuat oleh Deklarasi Antipenghilangan Paksa PBB tahun 1992, Resolusi Dewan Eropa 2005, dan Konvensi Inter-Amerika untuk Penghilangan Paksa 1996 yang mengatakan bahwa sampai ada pengakuan resmi negara atas nasib mereka yang hilang, kasus penghilangan paksa merupakan kejahatan yang berlanjut.

Di sini kelihatan sekali Jaksa Agung lebih menampakkan dirinya sebagai institusi dan alat politik negara yang kurang peka terhadap keadilan, penegakan hukum, dan HAM, serta menjadikan dirinya sebagai tameng politik pemerintah.

Dua sisi mata uang

Untuk kasus penghilangan paksa, di mana keluarga yang ditinggalkan berada dalam ketidakpastian, maka bagi mereka kejelasan nasib dan keberadaan para korban, baik itu masih hidup maupun sudah meninggal, adalah sesuatu yang utama dan sangat penting. Di sini berarti kebenaran atas sebuah peristiwa sejarah sebuah bangsa, karena peristiwa ini terjadi dalam konteks transisi politik sebuah bangsa, adalah sesuatu yang sangat penting dan menjadi harapan utama keluarga korban.

Meski demikian, dalam konteks politik dan penegakan hukum di Indonesia yang demikian lemah, kebenaran yang didambakan tersebut tidak akan mungkin muncul, kecuali mereka yang tahu, para pelaku dan mereka yang bertanggung jawab mendapatkan konsekuensi hukum yang tegas. Selain itu, informasi atas kebenaran yang tidak muncul dari proses yang terbuka dan transparan tidak akan mampu memberikan efek jera (deterrent effect) bagi pelaku pelanggaran HAM, yang akibatnya akan menjadikan mereka berkesempatan melakukan tindakan yang sama pada ruang dan waktu yang berbeda.

Di sini penulis menganggap bahwa proses pengungkapan kebenaran atas sebuah peristiwa pelanggaran berat HAM tidak bisa dipisah-pisahkan dengan proses pencarian keadilan baik bagi pelaku (prosecution) maupun bagi korban (reparation; pemulihan). Keduanya seperti dua sisi mata uang. Hanya dengan cara penyelesaian menyeluruh seperti inilah bangsa Indonesia akan mampu berdiri sama tinggi dengan bangsa-bangsa lain dalam melindungi dan memenuhi hak-hak warga negaranya.

Di sinilah untuk kesekian kalinya komitmen dan kredibilitas pemerintahan Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono di bidang HAM dipertaruhkan, yang dalam konteks penanganan kasus pelanggaran berat HAM, melalui tangan seorang Jaksa Agung. Akan sangat menyakitkan masyarakat dan keluarga korban apabila Jaksa Agung tetap mensyaratkan adanya rekomendasi DPR sebelum ia melakukan penyidikan, sementara DPR sendiri mengatakan bahwa Jaksa Agung harus langsung melakukan penyidikan.

Mugiyanto Penyintas (Survivor) Peristiwa Penghilangan Paksa 1998, Kini Ketua IKOHI