Jakarta \u2014 Deputy Coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons\nand Victims of Violence (Kontras), Andrie Yunus, became the victim of an\nacid attack by unidentified assailants. The assault has drawn\ncondemnation from various quarters, including the National Conscience\nMovement (GNB).<\/p>\n
Reverend Gomar Gultom of GNB stated he was shocked and deeply\ntroubled by the incident affecting Andrie. He characterised the attack\nnot as targeting an individual, but rather as terror directed against\ncivil society struggling for the enforcement of law and human rights\n(HAM).<\/p>\n
\u201cThis attack is surely not personal in nature. This is an attack\nagainst all of us who desire the establishment of law and human rights,\u201d\nsaid Gomar in a statement on Friday (13 March 2026).<\/p>\n
According to him, the incident occurred after Andrie had completed\nrecording a podcast discussing \u201cremilitarisation and judicial review in\nIndonesia\u201d. While returning home in the evening, Andrie was trapped\nbetween two vehicles before ultimately being doused with acid.<\/p>\n
The attack resulted in burns covering approximately 24 per cent of\nAndrie\u2019s body, including his eyes.<\/p>\n
Gomar assessed that field evidence indicates the attack was allegedly\nconducted in a planned manner. Based on CCTV recordings from the\nsurrounding area and monitoring from cameras operated by the\nTransportation Service, traffic that had previously been congested\nsuddenly became deserted when the incident occurred.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom CCTV footage in the surrounding area and from the\nTransportation Service, it is clear this was a systematic attack and not\nmerely carried out by the second motorcycle rider. Just before the\nincident, traffic was very congested, but suddenly became quiet during\nthe acid attack and afterwards. Clearly someone was managing traffic in\nthis manner,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Gomar described his acquaintance with Andrie as a steadfast human\nrights activist who is courageous in advocating for law enforcement in\nIndonesia. Andrie, he noted, is known for vocally raising various human\nrights issues and is active in civil society coalitions conducting\nindependent investigations into various major cases.<\/p>\n
For this reason, GNB is urging police to thoroughly investigate the\ncase through to the intellectual architects behind the attack.<\/p>\n
He also cautioned that this case should not end like the acid attack\nagainst investigator Novel Baswedan, which was deemed not to have fully\nuncovered the primary masterminds behind the incident.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo not stop at the perpetrators on the ground as happened with Novel\nBaswedan in the past,\u201d said Gomar.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, GNB also requested that security forces provide\nprotection to the public, particularly those who voice criticism of\nsocial and political situations.<\/p>\n
According to Gomar, public critical voices should be viewed as a form\nof love for the nation\u2019s future.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is time we also called upon the President to give serious\nattention to this incident. The state must provide full assurance of a\nthorough investigation. The state must also more seriously guarantee\nthat the same incident does not recur,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Gomar expressed hope that the incident would not dampen the\nenthusiasm of human rights activists in advocating for the rule of law\nand the fulfilment of human rights for all citizens.<\/p>\n
\u201cI fully support civil society\u2019s efforts to conduct independent\ninvestigations into this act of violence,\u201d he said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gnb-attack-on-kontras-activist-is-an-attack-on-us-all-1773410290", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }