Kontras' double standard

Kontras' double standard

From Media Indonesia

I used to be proud of the National Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) as a non-governmental organization pioneering advocacy relating to acts of coercion. The commission was entrusted with enlightening the struggle for human rights (HAM) in Indonesia and always spoke out against violations of human rights. The commission not only gave sharp reactions to but also frequently gave advice on and carried out investigations into violent acts.

Yet, I'm now disappointed with Kontras. Apparently, society has pinned too much hope on the Commission, which is, actually, full of vested interests so that the endeavors of its activists have become biased. Objectivity, conscience and honesty have gone.

Take a look, for example, at how this Commission has gone all out to condemn acts of coercion categorized as state violence against its own people. Yet, it looks as if Kontras did not have the guts to denounce or even raise questions about acts of violence against civilians in Aceh or Papua, allegedly committed respectively by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) or Free Papua Organization (OPM).

The Commission failed to react to the murder of Dayan Dawood, the Unsyiah (Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh) rector. Clearly, the Commission has applied double standards in fighting violent acts, hasn't it? This question shows how naive this Commission has been in its struggle. It is no longer able to look at cases of coercion objectively -- not to say that it is discriminatory -- let alone making a contribution to the struggle to defend human rights. If the Commission applies double standards, the public will consider Munir and his friends false champions of human rights.

DONALD PANJAITAN

Tangerang, Banten