Rights activist Munir named 'Man of the Year'
Rights activist Munir named 'Man of the Year'
JAKARTA (JP): The man of the year, in the opinion of Ummat
weekly, is Munir, coordinator of the Committee for Missing
Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras).
Munir, also the recipient of the Yap Thiam Hien human rights
award this year, received the award for his persistence in
resisting state-sponsored violence.
The 33-year-old lawyer, who attended the awards ceremony on
Monday with wife Suciwati and their infant son, said he was
learning to deal with the public and media spotlight on his
activities.
"I have to think how many times I should change caps to cover
my face so people don't recognize me," he joked. He added that
someone once came up to him and pronounced himself Munir's
"enemy".
Abdillah Toha, the magazine's general manager, presented the
honor.
Syafi'i Anwar, vice chief editor of Ummat, said the award jury
chose Munir for his concern in fighting "politics of violence".
The three other nominees were politicians Amien Rais, the
weekly's 1997 man of the year, Abdurrahman Wahid, chairman of the
Nahdlatul Ulama Muslim organization and the country's students.
Syafi'i said the jury did not choose students since it was
difficult to choose an appropriate representative. Students have
said they do not recognize leaders in their movement.
Syafi'i praised Munir as among the first to unhesitatingly
reveal practices of cruelty and degradation of humanity conducted
toward citizens.
He said Munir spoke for universal humanitarianism for his
advocacy of victims of violence "without differentiating on
religion, ethnicity or social class".
Munir consistently demanded political accountability of
parties involved in abduction cases.
"Although his call (for the military to clarify the
whereabouts of missing activists) is still... a military secret,
his voice has been heard in the national and international fora."
Syafi'i said that Munir "indirectly played a role in the
change... of policies by the Armed Forces authorities" regarding
investigations into human rights violations allegedly done by its
members.
The trial of 11 members of the Army's Special Force started
Wednesday. Munir has repeatedly said the trial should not start
before there is clarification on the fate of 13 remaining missing
activists.
Syafi'i added that Munir, through Kontras, succeeded in
strengthening the formation of Indonesia's civil society. Through
Kontras, Munir "tried to balance and even fight the culture of
violence", instilling public confidence that a civil society was
capable of fighting authoritarian tendencies.
In his acceptance speech, Munir said he needed more "friends"
to face the likelihood of more violence in the future.
Munir said tragedies this year such as riots and the shooting
of demonstrators were examples of the "obstinacy" of the current
elite in the face of the reform movement. (01)