Pardon sought from rights abuse victims<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Although their plight has been difficult,
\nvictims of human rights abuses have been asked to forgive and
\nforget and to encourage a more just and fairer government system,
\nreligious figures said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a seminar titled \"Solutions for Human Rights Abuse
\nCases; Between Truth and Justice\", Muslim scholar Komaruddin
\nHidayat and Catholic scholar J. Banawiratma said creating a just
\nand fair system should top the priority list in order to avoid
\nhuman rights violations in the future.<\/p>\n
\"To forgive and forget is also good therapy for the victims
\nwho may have problems sleeping and leading a normal life because
\nof their traumatic experiences,\" Komaruddin, who is a lecturer at
\nthe Jakarta-based Syarif Hidayatullah state Islamic Institute,
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said punishing human rights perpetrators might relieve the
\nvictims' pain but it was less meaningful if the system did not
\nimprove.<\/p>\n
\"A just and fair state without religions is better than an
\nunjust state which acknowledges religions,\" he said during the
\nseminar, which was held by the Institute for Study and Social
\nAdvocacy (Elsam).<\/p>\n
Another speaker, Banawiratma of the Yogyakarta-based St.
\nIgnatius Institute of Theology, supported Komaruddin's views,
\nsaying that forgiveness and love were important while justice had
\nyet to be reached.<\/p>\n
\"But forgiveness should come from the victims. It cannot be
\nforced or engineered,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He suggested that victims testify before the planned truth and
\nreconciliation commission about their suffering.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Elsam chairman Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara said
\nthat reconciliation could not materialize if the truth remains
\nhidden.<\/p>\n
He said the commission deals with human rights abuse cases
\nwhich were difficult to bring to justice because of technical
\nreasons, such as a lack of evidence.<\/p>\n
Elsam and some non-governmental organizations had earlier
\nproposed a bill for a truth and reconciliation commission to the
\nMinistry of Law and Legislation.<\/p>\n
During his visit to South Africa on Saturday, President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid discussed the possibility of establishing the
\nSouth African-modeled commission in Indonesia with his
\ncounterpart President Thabo Mbeki.<\/p>\n
Mbeki said his government was ready to assist Jakarta. (jun)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pardon-sought-from-rights-abuse-victims-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }