Government Pushes for Recovery of Human Rights Victims

The government is beginning to accelerate the fulfilment of rights for victims of past serious human rights violations by relying on a non-judicial approach, which is deemed faster in reaching the real needs of victims. The focus is not only on compensation but also on social security and economic recovery.

This step emerged during a Hearing Meeting between the Coordinating Ministry for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correctional Services and the DPR RI’s Commission XIII, which also highlighted the results of a working visit to the Special Region of Yogyakarta.

In that forum, issues of access to healthcare services and strengthening the economy of victims became the main concerns. Acting Deputy for Human Rights Coordination of the Coordinating Ministry for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correctional Services, Fitra Arsil, stated that the government is not abandoning the legal route but is accelerating recovery through mechanisms outside the courts.

“Recovery must be able to restore victims’ rights in a fair and dignified manner. The state is present to ensure comprehensive protection while preventing serious human rights violations from recurring in the future,” Fitra said, as quoted on Friday (3/4).

Referring to Law Number 26 of 2000, Fitra added, serious human rights violations include genocide and crimes against humanity. However, in practice, judicial processes often take a long time, so the non-judicial approach is seen as a way to speed up the fulfilment of victims’ rights.

“We are promoting the non-judicial approach to ensure victims immediately receive tangible benefits, without waiting for lengthy legal processes,” he said.

In line with that, the government is also expanding the scope of assistance through social security programmes, including healthcare services and economic support. Nevertheless, several obstacles are still faced, particularly regarding the validity of victim data and the uneven possession of Certificates of Human Rights Violation Victims.

To address these issues, the government targets the completion of a single national victim database by mid-2026. This data will serve as the basis for cross-ministerial and institutional coordination.

“Without integrated data, the fulfilment of victims’ rights will not be on target. A single data set is the key to ensuring all policies truly reach the deserving victims,” Fitra explained.

In addition to strengthening data, the government is also encouraging the involvement of local governments, administrative verification, and the establishment of a national desk for resolving past human rights violations. These steps are expected to ensure programmes run effectively while closing gaps in targeting inaccuracies in victim recovery.

Komnas HAM has issued 8,599 Certificates of Human Rights Violation Victims (SKKPHAM) for victims or families of serious human rights violation events.