Rights commission's report gets mixed reactions<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The National Commission on Human Rights has won
\nplaudits from the legal community for its bold report about
\nirregularities in the controversial trials of people charged with
\ninvolvement in the murder of labor activist Marsinah.<\/p>\n
Government officials, however, showed irritation at the
\nreport, with one even questioning the validity of its findings.<\/p>\n
\"The Commission certainly has guts,\" Trimoelja D. Soerjadi,
\none of the lawyers defending suspects in the murder trials, told
\nThe Jakarta Post yesterday.<\/p>\n
Two other lawyers, Hendardi and Mulyana W. Kusumah from the
\nIndonesian Legal Aid Foundation, also expressed satisfaction and
\nsurprise over the Commission's report.<\/p>\n
They urged the authorities to act on the findings.<\/p>\n
The Commission announced on Monday that its fact-finding team
\nfound \"indications\" that the suspects being tried for the murder
\nof Marsinah were tortured and that some of their rights had been
\ndenied during their arrests and subsequent interrogation.<\/p>\n
The Commission urged the authorities to look into the
\npossibility that others besides the suspects may have been
\ninvolved in the murder.<\/p>\n
The investigation was launched after the suspects complained
\nthat they had been tortured by their interrogators to extract
\nconfessions that they committed the murder.<\/p>\n
Brig. Gen. Syarwan Hamid, the chief spokesman of the Armed
\nForces (ABRI), told the Antara news agency that the commission
\nshould have presented its findings to the courts, not the public.<\/p>\n
By announcing the results at a press briefing, the commission
\nhas further stirred public opinion, which could affect the
\ntrials, he said.<\/p>\n
Minister\/State Secretary Moerdiono reminded the Commission
\nmembers that the body was not established to \"take over the
\nduties of other institutions, such as the apparatus in charge of
\ninvestigation, examination, as well as the courts.\"<\/p>\n
Moerdiono added: \"With all due respect to the Commission,
\nevaluation of any finding should be carried out carefully.\"<\/p>\n
Moerdiono declined to say that the Commission was acting
\nbeyond its authority, but expressed surprise that the Commission
\nhad found new evidence in such a relatively short time.<\/p>\n
\"I am not saying that it acted beyond its authority, and I
\ndon't know for sure whether there is really a fact finding team,\"
\nhe said. \"In my experience, fact-finding teams take a long time
\nto work.\"<\/p>\n
Many people in the legal community, however, said they were
\nencouraged by the Commission's bold move and urged its members to
\ntake the cause further by recommending that the Supreme Court
\nhalt the trials in view of the report.<\/p>\n
\"The finding shows that the Commission has fulfilled its
\nduties and roles,\" Mulyana, the executive director of the
\nIndonesian Legal Aid Foundation, said.<\/p>\n
\"Further investigations of those other possible suspects, as
\nwell as into the torture, should also be launched immediately,\"
\nHendardi said.<\/p>\n
Mulyana called on all parties and institutions to respect and
\nheed the findings and to develop corrective and preventive
\nmeasures against other violations of human rights.<\/p>\n
Trimoelja also urged the East Java police and military command
\nrespond to the findings by taking action against any violators
\ninside their ranks.<\/p>\n
\"What I have seen so far is that they still tend to cover up,\"
\nTrimoelja said. \"The police have even shown cynicism by
\nquestioning the Commission's finding about the possibility of new
\nsuspects in the case.\"<\/p>\n
The Surabaya-based Surya daily quoted the East Java police
\nspokesman Lt. Col. Ahmad Rivai yesterday as expressing
\nastonishment at the Commission's findings.<\/p>\n
Legislators Oka Mahendra and Andi Mattalata from the Golkar
\nfaction and Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno from the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI) faction all welcomed the commission's
\nfinding.<\/p>\n
Oka said the new findings should be seen as a challenge for
\nthe state's legal system and the authorities to reveal the other
\npeople involved in the murder case, and to take appropriate legal
\nmeasures.<\/p>\n
\"The public is waiting,\" he said. \"However, the question now
\nis, which institution will be responsible to take those follow up
\nmeasures?\"<\/p>\n
Mattalata said the Commission's finding does not have legal
\nbinding over the courts, but would serve to \"move the people's
\nsense of justice.\"<\/p>\n
In its report, the Commission said it found unwarranted
\nintervention by the local military agency in the affairs of PT
\nCitra Putra Surya, apparently confirming earlier suggestions that
\nthe local military chief took the initiative to fire striking
\nworkers, which led to further labor protests and ultimately
\nMarsinah's murder. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rights-commissions-report-gets-mixed-reactions-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}