Academic: Main Actors and Directors of Andrie Yunus Case Must Be Revealed to the Public
The government and authorities are being urged to promptly provide a transparent explanation regarding the main actors and directors behind the acid attack case on KontraS Vice Coordinator Andrie Yunus. This was stated by political science academic from the National University of Jakarta, Firdaus Syam. According to Firdaus, there is no justification for state organs to carry out brutal and cruel actions against their citizens.
“The government must provide an open and transparent explanation to the public, not only regarding the act of violence but also who the actors are and who the directors are; that must be revealed,” Firdaus said during a public discussion organised by the Central Board of the Indonesia Youth Congress (DPP IYC) titled ‘Strategic Relations of the Ministry of Defence and BAIS TNI in the Design of National Intelligence: Lines of Coordination, Institutionality, and Human Rights Protection in Indonesia’ in Jakarta on Thursday (9/4).
Firdaus stated that the resignation of the Head of the Strategic Intelligence Agency (Kabais), held by Lieutenant General TNI Yudi Abrimantyo, as a result of the Andrie Yunus case is not enough. He said that this resignation is something that is certain or must be done as moral, administrative, and institutional accountability.
“However, the legal aspects related to serious human rights violations must be addressed,” he emphasised.
Firdaus also stressed that the duty of the TNI, from the highest to the lowest structures, is for military defence, to be professional soldiers. Amid Indonesia’s increasingly challenging security and defence issues in the future.
“In the future, there must be changes in structure and culture within the Indonesian military. Structure means the military must not enter the realm of civilian administration and business. They must not be involved; the military must focus, concentrate, and function as an institution that maintains and safeguards defence equipment and the sovereignty of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia,” he explained.
On that occasion, Director of the Indonesia Madani Circle Ray Rangkuti deemed it illogical for the acid attack case on Andrie Yunus to be tried in a military court. This is because the criminal act committed by TNI soldiers constitutes a general criminal offence with a civilian victim.
“But if there is a military member, a soldier, who disturbs his neighbour, should it be tried in a military court? That’s not logical,” said Ray.
Ray acknowledged that all countries have military courts. However, military courts deal with military crimes, such as treason, desertion, or leaking state secrets related to defence. Generally, he said, military courts are closed unless declared open by the judge.
“For example, treason, for example, desertion. For example, what else, for example, leaking secrets related to defence. Yes, the trial cannot be in a general court. That is in a special court, called a military court. Well, if that’s the case, it’s very reasonable. So military courts can only be implemented for crimes related to the military,” Ray explained.
Therefore, Ray said, the TNI Commander must immediately instruct his ranks to have the Andrie Yunus case tried in a general court, not a military court. According to Ray, this is important to restore public trust in the TNI institution, which has been declining lately due to allegations of violence involving TNI soldiers and the TNI’s excessive involvement in civilian realms such as the MBG programme.
“We hope that the TNI Commander will immediately order this incident to be tried in a general court. Why? First, friends, if this continues, the image of our TNI will start to decline again. We already know that one of the appealing aspects of the TNI over the past 20 years is that their trust levels have always been high when related to public trust levels, always. Yes, KPK, TNI, President, those three always have high trust levels. But if this continues repeatedly, yes, it will crumble,” Ray explained.
Meanwhile, military and geopolitical observer Connie Rahakundini Bakrie highlighted that strategic intelligence should not only serve as a tool for national defence but also function as a guardian of democracy and human rights (HAM). However, according to her, when coordination is weak, institutions are not transparent, and human rights protection is ignored, intelligence can potentially become a threat to the people.
“National strategic intelligence is not only a tool for national defence but also a guardian of democracy and HAM. If coordination is weak and human rights protection is ignored, then intelligence can become a threat to its own people,” said Connie.