Rights body members want credible, professional chief

Rights body members want credible, professional chief

Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) is facing
mounting internal pressure to elect a chairperson who is capable
of restoring its image as a credible institution.

Whoever is elected as the commission's new chairperson on
Thursday should focus on efforts to stop the rights body from
siding with state authorities, several commission members told
The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Solahuddin Wahid and M. M. Billah, both Komnas HAM members,
agreed that the new commission chief must be credible,
independent, professional and experienced in handling human
rights cases.

Those with a bad track record, including several reelected
members of the Komnas HAM, should be prevented from taking the
top position in the once-esteemed commission, they added. Both
Solahuddin and Billah declined to specify any names.

Some Komnas HAM members and other human rights activists from
non-governmental organizations have nominated respected human
rights lawyer Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara for the chairmanship
in place of Djoko Sugianto, who is currently the chair of Komnas
Ham and serving his third term as a member of the commission.

Garuda is standing in for Bank Indonesia Governor Sjahril
Sabirin, who was recently acquitted of corruption charges by the
Jakarta High Court.

Also on the list of strong contenders are Solahuddin, a
prominent Muslim scholar from Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Billah of the
Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras)
and Achmad Ali, a legal expert from Hasanuddin University in the
South Sulawesi capital of Makassar.

The election will be held on Thursday in two rounds. In the
first round each of the 23 Komnas HAM members selects two names
for the top post in the commission. Those who win at least 12
votes will contest the run-off.

Retired military general Syamsuddin, retired police general
Koesparmono Irsan and Syafruddin Bahar, who was once involved in
the notorious security and order restoration operation command
led by Gen. (ret.) Sudomo, are also likely to contest the
leadership race.

Sources within the Komnas HAM called for a vote against the
three figures, who have past links with security authorities, and
Djoko in order to boost the commission's credibility.

Djoko has been criticized for failing to perform well while
heading the commission.

Billah and Solahuddin admitted the commission has been under
spotlight for failing to serve the public interests in overcoming
human rights abuses linked to military and police.

"Such an impression is so strong that Komnas HAM lacks
independence in undertaking its duties," said Solahuddin, a
younger brother of former president Abdurrahman Wahid.

He cited as an example the unresolved cases of Trisakti and
Semanggi tragedies in 1998 and 1999 respectively, the Tanjung
Priok massacre in 1984 and last year's murder of Papua separatist
leader Theys Hiyo Eluay. Many have blamed security forces for the
incidents.

"In resolving those cases, the Komnas HAM has appeared to be
toothless and partisan and has instead become a tool of state
institutions," Solahuddin said.

He suggested that under the new leadership the commission draw
up priorities so that investigation into those human rights
tragedies could be reopened.

Billah said that during recent years, the commission seemed to
favor the security authorities when it came to reaching crucial
decisions.

Both Billah and Solahuddin were of the opinion that apart from
its partiality, internal friction within Komnas HAM was also to
blame for the commission's eroding credibility.