Undangan untuk Kongres ke-3 IKOHI

Saudara-saudara sekalian,

Pada tanggal 6 sampai 10 Desember 2009, IKOHI akan menggelar Kongres ke-3 di Jakarta. Kongres yang dihadiri perwakilan korban dari berbagai daerah di Indonesia dan Timor-Leste ini akan mengambil tema,
"Memperkuat Organisasi, Merintis Pemenuhan Hak-Hak Korban"

Acara akan dibuka secara resmi dalam sebuah diskusu publik, "Membedah Agenda HAM Pemerintah SBY - Boediono" dengan pembicara utama Menkumham Patrialis Akbar, pada hari Senin, 7 Desember 2009 jam 09.30 WIB di Hotel Harris, Jakarta.

Kalau ada waktu, mohon sempatkan datang dan memberikan dukungan kepada korban dan keluarga korban pelanggaran HAM yang sedang berjuang.

Salam solidaritas.

IKOHI

OPEN LETTER TO THE CHAIRMAN of the House of Representatives

Re: The follow up of the Recommendations of the Parliament Plenary Session on the case of Enforced Disappearances in 1997-1998


His Excellency H. Marzuki Alie, SE. MM
Chairman of the House of Representatives
of the Republic of Indonesia


His Excellency,
First of all, we would like to congratulate you on your election as the Chairman of the Parliament 2009-2014. Similarly to all newly elected members of the House of Representatives. We hope that all members of the House of Representatives can work well and regain trust from public.

Furthermore, through this letter, we intend to convey the hopes of the families of victims of the case of disappearances in 1997-1998. We expect that the Parliament’ recommendations be followed up by the President. The Parliament’s recommendations, which refer to the work and recommendations of the Parliament’s Special Committee on Enforced Disappearances in period 1997 to 1998, issued on 28 September 2009 are as follows;

1. Recommend the President to establish an Ad Hoc Human Rights Court for the cases of disappearances in 1997-1998.
2. Recommend the President and all government institutions and related parties to immediately conduct a search for the 13 people who by the National Commission on Human Rights (sic) are concluded as still missing;
3. Recommend the Government to provide rehabilitation and compensation for the families of the victims.
4. Recommend the government to immediately ratify the Convention against Enforced Disappearances '[International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances] ' as a form of commitment and support to stop the practice of Enforced Disappearances in Indonesia.

Related to the above recommendations, we share a number opinions and concerns;

First, the four recommendations above is a positive progress in the handling of this case. Therefore the victim's family appreciate the work and commitment of the House of Representatives in about handling these cases. Furthermore, the Parliament’s decision this case should end the legal debate about the procedures for the establishment of an ad hoc Human Rights Court between the Attorney General and the Parliament.

Second, in the future these recommendations should become a precedent for the Parliament in encouraging the formation of ad hoc human rights court for other cases of gross human rights violations, which occurred in the past in Indonesia.

Third, the recommendation above (especially point 2) becomes important to be followed-up since in this case there are a number of victims who were still disappeared. International human rights instruments' [International Convention on Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances] emphasizes the urgency to search and clarity of the fate and whereabouts of the victims of enforced disappearances.

These recommendations complement the legal basis and the establishment of ad hoc human rights court for the President, according to Article 43 of Law 26/2000 on Human Rights Court, which states;

1. The violations of human rights that occurred prior to the enactment of the Law shall be examined by the ad hoc Human Rights Court
2. The Ad hoc human rights court as referred to in paragraph (1) is formed on the basis of the proposal the House of Representatives of Indonesia.

Specifically on the role of the Parliament, on the legal and constitutional mandate we expect the Parliament to supervise to ensure the above recommendations be followed up by the President. This supervision can be done by the Parliament as follows;

To ensure that administrative and procedural recommendations have been submitted to the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
The consideration of the importance of this case, the House should immediately follow-up point 1 above by doing the consultation meeting with the President of Indonesia, Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

As soon as possible to conduct the Public Hearings Meeting or Working Meeting with the Attorney General, National Human Rights Commission and the Department of Justice and Human Rights to find a plan and follow up the steps to be taken of each agency in implementing the above recommendations.

The Parliament must prepare to use the constitutional rights of individual members of Parliament, such as the right to ask (right of interpelation) if the President refuse to follow up the recommendations. As stipulated in the 1945 Constitution, Article 20 A (2) that "In Implementing functions, in addition to the rights provided for in other Articles of the Constitution, every member of the House of

Representatives has the right to ask, questionnaire rights and rights of expression"
The moral and political commitment from all parties and all members of the House of Representatives are expected and very long-awaited by the families of the victims.

So the letter was delivered. Thanks for your attention and cooperation.


Jakarta, October 28, 2009

Haris Azhar (KontraS)
Mugiyanto (IKOHI/Survivor)
Nurhasanah (Mother of disappeared Yadin Muhidin)
Paian Siahaan (Father of disappeared Ucok Siahaan Munandar)
Sipon (Wife of disappeared Wiji Thukul)
Utomo Rahardjo (Father of disappeared Petrus Bimo Anugerah)
Suyadi (Brother of disappeared Suyat)
Tuti Koto (Mother of disappeared Yani Afri)

No US visa for 2 Indonesian defence officials

JAKARTA, Oct 30 — Weeks into his second term, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has been given another embarrassing reminder that the alleged past misdeeds of the army he once served remain a major stumbling block in Indonesia’s efforts to restore full military ties with the United States.

The Straits Times has learnt that Defence Ministry secretary-general Syafrie Syamsuddin and Indonesian Special Forces (Kopassus) commander Pramono Edhie Wibowo have had their US visa applications either turned down or put on hold.

Lieutenant-General Syafrie was unable to accompany Dr Yudhoyono’s delegation to the Group of 20 summit in Pittsburgh last month, and Major-General Wibowo has apparently been prevented from giving a closed-door presentation to the Pentagon during a planned visit to Washington this week.

A former special forces intelligence officer, Lt-Gen Syafrie is widely tipped to become Cabinet Secretary in place of Sudhi Silalahi, who was promoted to State Secretary in the new ministerial line-up Dr Yudhoyono announced last week.

But even more embarrassing for the President is that Maj-Gen Wibowo, another career special forces officer, is his brother-in-law - and apparently on track to become armed forces commander near the end of the President’s five-year term.

It was hoped that Maj-Gen Wibowo’s unblemished record would allow him to make the case with defence and congressional leaders that Kopassus has reformed and that it should be allowed to resume exercises with the US Special Forces.

Although officials insist that the visa ban is not final, Lt-Gen Syafrie, 56, is in a different category because of allegations surrounding the November 1991 churchyard massacre in Dili and the bloody May 1998 riots that preceded president Suharto’s fall from power.

US Embassy spokesman Paul Belmont declined to comment on the issue, saying it was against US law to discuss individual visa cases.

Lt-Gen Syafrie is a 1974 military academy classmate of vice-presidential candidate and former Suharto son-in-law Prabowo Subianto, who is banned from the US for his role in the kidnapping and torture of pro-democracy activists in 1997-1998.

Prabowo, a retired general, was cashiered in late 1998 after taking responsibility for the kidnappings before a closed-door military honour council. It was a move that hardly satisfied human rights groups, but allowed then armed forces chief General Wiranto to rid himself of a rival.

Although Lt-Gen Syafrie has never been charged with a crime, that has little bearing on an ongoing US State Department investigation to determine whether the former Jakarta regional commander should be allowed a visa.

US officials insist there is no actual blacklist carrying the names of Indonesian officers accused of human rights abuses, the vast majority of whom have never seen the inside of an interrogation room - let alone a courtroom.

The Indonesian government has sent a letter to the State Department defending Lt-Gen Syafrie’s service record, saying that he was not on duty when soldiers opened fire on East Timorese mourners at Dili’s Santa Cruz cemetery in 1991.

It also pointed out that a special parliamentary commission had cleared him of responsibility for the deadly shooting of four students at Trisakti University on May 12, 1998 — the event which led to the two days of rioting in central Jakarta. The government of then President BJ Habibie 16 months later absolved him of any accountability or legal responsibility for the violence.

Despite Indonesia’s rapid strides towards democratisation, congressional foes like US Senator Patrick Leahy continue to insist that those accused of crimes against humanity should be brought to justice before the US considers restoring military ties to the way they once were.

Most attention centres on officers indicted by the United Nations Serious Crimes Unit for alleged human rights abuses committed during the bloody military-led militia rampage before and after the 1999 East Timor referendum.

But other generals, particularly those who have worn Kopassus’ red beret, remain in the firing line as well for their alleged roles in a slew of additional unresolved human rights cases.

Even if Lt-Gen Syafrie is declared ineligible for a visa, US officials say he can still be granted a waiver for so-called “policy reasons”, similar to those given to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams. — The Straits Times