JP\/4\/KKR<\/p>\n
Govt ready to set up truth commission<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Attempts to uncover the truth behind a series of unresolved human
\nrights cases, which have caused much trouble and uncertainty in
\nIndonesia's history, has stepped up to a new stage, with a Truth
\nand Reconciliation Commission (KKR) to be set up very soon.<\/p>\n
Last week, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono issued a
\npresidential decree for the establishment of a team assigned to
\nrecruit candidates to become members of the KKR.<\/p>\n
The deadline for the establishment of the KKR is April,
\naccording to Law No. 27\/2004 that was passed in October last
\nyear.<\/p>\n
The law mandates the KKR to investigate past gross human
\nrights violations, and then make recommendations to the President
\non how to resolve the cases.<\/p>\n
The selection team will be led by the Ministry of Justice and
\nHuman Rights director-general for general law administration
\nZulkarnaen Yunus, while team members will include director-
\ngeneral of human rights Hafid Abbas, secretary to the director-
\ngeneral of legislation Wicipto Setiadi, activist Bambang
\nWidjojanto, member of the National Commission on Human Rights
\nLies Sugondo, and academician Sunaryati.<\/p>\n
The team will shortlist some 42 candidates to sit on the KKR.
\nThe President will then select 21 from the shortlist.<\/p>\n
Police and military personnel are prohibited from applying to
\nsit on the commission. However, members of political parties are
\nwelcomed, though they must resign their party membership if they
\nare actually selected to sit on the commission.<\/p>\n
Indonesians have generally paid little attention to the issue
\nof the establishment of the KKR, despite the fact that a
\nsignificant number of them were either victims, or relatives of
\nvictims, of gross human rights abuses.<\/p>\n
Ifhdal Kasim, the director of the Institute for Policy
\nResearch and Advocacy (ELSAM), who has been intensively involved
\nwith the issue, said that most Indonesians doubt that the
\ncommission would be able to unveil the truth, as most human
\nrights abuses occurred during the previous New Order dictatorship
\nand involved powerful people in the military, government and
\npolitical parties, who currently hold positions in the
\ngovernment, the House of Representatives, and the Regional
\nRepresentatives Council.<\/p>\n
International experts on truth and reconciliation commissions
\nhave said that Indonesia's law for its truth commission contains
\nloopholes that disadvantages victims.<\/p>\n
For the seven years of its mandated existence, including a
\ntwo-year possible extension, the commission is expected to
\nresolve cases of human rights violations that occurred before the
\nyear 2000, the year that human rights tribunal was established.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp4kkr-1447899208",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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