Regional Representative Council Provide Support for Dealing with Past Human Rights Violations

Based on ELSAM’s record, initiatives to settle past human rights violations actually have sufficient supports and social capital, it can be seen from consciousness to take steps for its settlement. Effort to deal with past human rights violations itself is a part of reform agenda that should be realized. Indonesia’s national leaders showed their commitment to support policy measures in order not to cause political instability.

    Past Human Rights Violations /30/07/2015/Elsam /No Comment/400 views

ELSAM, Jakarta – Based on ELSAM’s record, initiatives to settle past human rights violations actually have sufficient supports and social capital, it can be seen from consciousness to take steps for its settlement. Effort to deal with past human rights violations itself is a part of reform agenda that should be realized. Indonesia’s national leaders showed their commitment to support policy measures in order not to cause political instability.

Organizations for victim, victim assistance and any other community group actively enable settlement of past human rights violations through various independent initiatives. In addition, during the workshops of National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) and Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK)─held on December 14th─there were supports from leaders of high state institutions to resolve past human rights violations. Those various supports certainly going to be strong social capital to formulate policy measures related settlement of past human rights violations.

Until now, its settlement developed a sense of stagnation. Supports and social capital have not yet been adequate to settle the case.

“A series of initiatives to settle past human rights violations had been done, but they have not helped victims reach fulfillment of justice needs and rights yet,” said Indriaswati D. Saptaningrum, executive director of ELSAM during meeting between the Regional Representative Council, National Human Rights Commission and NGO leaders in Jakarta on Thursday (1/29).
All NGO representatives (ELSAM, Kontras, Setara Institute, and Imparsial) and National Human Rights Commission expect the Council to conduct a series of role plays to settle past human rights violations.

“As a local political representation in Indonesian constitutional structure, we encourage the Council to become more involved in the settlement process of this human rights violations through their constitutional mandate,” said Indri.

Council’s role, she continued, can be done in two ways. First, by encouraging and strengthening local government’s initiative, who has taken limited steps in his region, as an effort and integral part of settlement agenda in national level. According to her, Council may facilitate the development of the best practice that has been done from one local government to another.

Second, according to her, the Council may play an active role in facilitating the process of forming a national consensus for settlement of past human rights violations, by involving participants from head of regions.

During the meeting, the Council─represented by Vice Chairman Prof Dr. Farouk Muhammad, First Deputy Benny Ramdhani and head of public accountability body Abdul Gafar Usman─agreed to support any effort in resolving past human rights violations. According to them, there is a need for serious response from the country to conduct comprehensive steps in the form of recognition of past human rights violations. The Council is also expecting that every continuous suggestion and information about development to resolve past human rights violations will be followed-up.

Author: Zainal Abidin
Editor: Ari Yurino

SOURCE elsam.or.id