Marzuki denies any pressure on rights body<\/p>\n
By Ati Nurbaity<\/p>\n
MANILA (JP): The National Commission on Human Rights denies
\nbeing pressured by the military during its investigation into the
\nJuly 27 riots in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Commission member Marzuki Darusman said before attending an
\ninternational seminar on human rights, democracy and development
\nhere yesterday that \"there have been discussions with the
\nmilitary but no pressure\".<\/p>\n
\"The military has been very cooperative,\" said Marzuki, who is
\na member of the fact-finding team that the commission established
\nto detect possible human rights abuses and to trace the missing.<\/p>\n
\"We have gained access to 17 hospitals including the military
\nand police hospitals,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Marzuki was commenting on a press release from the Jakarta
\nInstitute for Social Affairs, a voluntary team supporting the
\ncommission's fact-finding team. The statement said that the
\ninstitute's members detected \"a strong aura of fear\" among people
\nwhen they were asked to give information.<\/p>\n
A source said employees at the Cilincing crematorium, for
\ninstance, \"stammered\" when asked if any unidentified bodies had
\nbeen cremated there following the rioting.<\/p>\n
The houses of those who were injured during the rioting \"were
\ntightly guarded\" when members of the institute stopped by.<\/p>\n
Marzuki declined to comment on the release. He said only that
\nmore time is needed to allow those with information to feel less
\n\"inhibited\".<\/p>\n
\"That is why the Commission cannot set a deadline (to announce
\nthe results of its investigation). Time is needed for the public
\nto feel uninhibited in revealing information,\" Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
The commission also needs time to re-check the number of
\ninjured civilians, security personnel and other data.<\/p>\n
\"Those findings are not final and constitute something the
\ngovernment must follow up,\" Marzuki said. \"Whether the government
\nwill really carry it out depends on public supervision.\"<\/p>\n
On Monday, human rights advocate T. Mulya Lubis, also a
\nparticipant at the talks organized by the Germany-based Friedrich
\nEbert Stiftung organization, said the investigation \"reflects
\nclassic problems of fact-finding missions everywhere.\"<\/p>\n
Until the government guarantees confidentiality and legal
\nprotection for people who reveal information, \"fact-finding
\nmissions will not be effective,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Anyone pressuring people and creating a climate of fear to get
\ninformation is \"obstructing justice,\" Mulya said.<\/p>\n
Such a practice would be a violation of internationally
\nrecognized human rights and result in inadequate information, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Another common problem is security personnel taking
\nretaliatory measures on victims from the rioting or those closest
\nto the victims.<\/p>\n
Unless the government protects potential witnesses and victims
\nfrom possible pressures, \"I fear that this could...be
\ninstitutionalized and we will turn into a republic of fear,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
What the National Commission on Human Rights could at least do
\nnow, he added, is set up a special post box.<\/p>\n
\"If this measure cannot guarantee confidentiality, then I do
\nnot know where the people can seek protection,\" Mulya commented.<\/p>\n
Human rights -- Page 2<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/marzuki-denies-any-pressure-on-rights-body-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }