Rights body undecided on KPP HAM's reports
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Members of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) are planning to hold a special hearing on April 22 to evaluate the report of the Commission of Inquiry into Human Rights Violations (KPP HAM) probing the Trisakti and Semanggi incidents.
Komnas HAM secretary-general Asmara Nababan said four Komnas HAM members had been assigned to study and give their personal assessment of the inquiry into the 1998 and 1999 incidents that claimed dozens of lives. The four are Komnas HAM chairman Djoko Soegianto, Soelistyowati Soegondo, B.N. Marbun, and Soegiri.
"All other members will also allowed to give their opinions at the hearing, especially Albert Hasibuan and Saparinah Sadli who know a lot about the report as they were on the inquiry team," Asmara told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
The report, which was submitted on March 21, recommends that the Attorney General's Office investigate 50 names believed to be involved in the incidents, where security personnel attacked the protesting students "for the sake of certain political interests".
According to Asmara, Komnas HAM would set up an internal team to follow up on the inquiry should the upcoming meeting find that the inquiry team's report was inconclusive or incomplete in proving that there were systematic and widespread policies adopted by the state.
The team would be mandated to exercise Komnas HAM's subpoena rights to resummon a number of military and police officers, who had resisted the inquiry team's summons, arguing that both Komnas HAM and its inquiry team were unlawful.
The military and police institutions had stated that they would file an objection with the court should the commission enforce the subpoena, further delaying the investigation.
Meanwhile, House of Representatives (DPR) Commission II chairman Teras Narang told the Post on Saturday that his commission expected to complete in June the first screening of 34 candidates for the membership of Komnas HAM that had earlier been submitted to the commission.
Commission II is responsible for, among other things, law and human rights issues.
Commission II had also asked Komnas HAM to submit more names so that it could pick 35 new members. Komnas HAM, however, has turned down the request, arguing that a 1993 government regulation on the establishment of the rights commission allowed its members to keep working until December 2003.