Outgoing lawmakers agree on qualifying period for reconciliation<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Resolution of all cases of human rights abuse via the planned
\ntruth and reconciliation commission will cover a long period
\nbetween Independence Day in 1945 and 2000, lawmakers have agreed.<\/p>\n
Sofwan Chudorie, deputy chairman of the House committee
\ndeliberating the bill on truth and reconciliation, said on
\nThursday the agreement was reached unanimously.<\/p>\n
\"After much debate, we finally agreed that all cases of human
\nrights violations that occurred after the declaration of
\nindependence could be brought before the truth and reconciliation
\ncommission for resolution,\" said Sofwan after a closed-door
\nsession.<\/p>\n
In a hearing with the House committee last month, Indonesian
\nMilitary (TNI) Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto suggested that
\nthe bill on the truth and reconciliation commission, if enacted,
\ncomply with the universal principle of non-retroactivity.<\/p>\n
A number of TNI officers recently stood trial for their
\nalleged role in human rights abuses in the past, but most were
\nacquitted due to lack of evidence.<\/p>\n
The bill on the truth and reconciliation commission was
\ndesigned to settle human rights violations that occurred before
\nthe enactment of Law No. 26\/2000 on a human rights tribunal.<\/p>\n
Sofwan said the reconciliation commission would have the power
\nto decide whether to accept or reject requests to settle alleged
\nhuman rights abuses.<\/p>\n
Decisions will be made after the commission has heard the
\ntestimony of witnesses and victims, and has assessed the impact
\nof alleged human rights violations.<\/p>\n
Sofwan, who represents the National Awakening Party (PKB),
\nsaid the House committee also agreed that the commission would
\nconsist of 21 members.<\/p>\n
\"They will be divided into three subcommissions that deal
\nrespectively with investigation, compensation and amnesty,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The subcommission for investigation and clarification will
\ncomprise nine members, the subcommission for compensation,
\nrestitution and rehabilitation five, and the subcommission for
\namnesty four members.<\/p>\n
The remaining three members will hold the chairmanship and
\ndeputy chief posts, he said.<\/p>\n
Sofwan added that the lawmakers also agreed that the
\ncommission members would serve for three years with a possible
\nextension of term to four years. Each member would be able to
\nserve for a maximum of seven years.<\/p>\n
Fellow legislator M. Akil Mochtar of the Golkar Party,
\nmeanwhile, said the bill did not define adequately \"perpetrators
\nof human rights abuses\".<\/p>\n
\"Such a situation will only hamper proper implementation of
\nthe law,\" Akil said.<\/p>\n
In previous hearings, analysts expressed fears that the truth
\nand reconciliation commission could be misused to clear certain
\nmilitary officers of human rights abuses.<\/p>\n
Separately, a group of victims of human rights abuses and
\ntheir relatives rallied to oppose the bill, saying the draft law
\nwould establish the truth commission but fail to provide fair
\nresolution of human rights abuses.<\/p>\n
Incidents that could be brought before a truth commission
\n=============================================================
\n- Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) coup attempt, 1948
\n- South Maluku Republic (RMS) rebellion 1950
\n- PRRI\/Permesta rebellion in South Sulawesi 1958
\n- DI\/TII rebellion 1949-1962
\n- Tanjung Priok, Jakarta, shooting incident, 1984
\n- Talangsari, Lampung, clash, 1989
\n============================================================<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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