Roekmini dares to speak the truth

Roekmini dares to speak the truth

By T. Sima Gunawan

JAKARTA (JP): People with great spirit usually get upset when they retire, but not Brig. Gen. (ret.) Roekmini Koesoemo Astoeti.

She has enjoyed greater freedom to speak up after retiring from the police force in 1993.

Roekmini, 57, is a member of the National Commission of Human Rights, which she joined early last year. From 1982 to 1992 she was a member of the House of Representatives. She was among the few House members who first brought up the issue of openness. As a vocal House member, Roekmini never hesitated to criticize any group, including the government.

She admitted that some of her statements had made the leaders of the Armed Forces faction in the House "busy".

"Now that I am retired, I am responsible for anything I do, and any word I say," she said in an interview with The Jakarta Post earlier this week.

The human rights commission briefs President Soeharto on human rights issues but it is not accountable to the President.

"The commission is an independent body. We are accountable to the people," the retired general explained.

There are many human right violations in the country, Roekmini said.

"Generally, human rights violations have much to do with the power structure," Roekmini pointed out.

The lack of legal, political and humanitarian awareness among those in power allows the abuse to occur.

The human rights commission acts as mediator between the disputing parties.

From January last year to mid of October, the commission dealt with more than 5,200 cases. Most of them involved land conflicts, labor cases, and abuse of power by government officials and members of the Armed Forces.

The commission could only settle 20 percent of the cases occurring during the period. Roekmini said the commission could not handle the remaining cases because they were being processed in court, fell into the category of civil cases, or were not human rights cases.

Roekmini said the Armed Forces responded better than the government officials to the commission's efforts to settle the cases.

Despite the gloomy human rights condition in Indonesia, Roekmini has a hope for a better future. Some key figures in the government are committed to improving the situation. This is encouraging, considering the important role key figures play in the paternalistic environment of Indonesia, she said.

She also sees injustice and inequality in many other fields, especially politics and the economy.

"In politics, different sociopolitical groups receive different treatment (from the government)," she said.

The current political form allows bureaucrats to plunge themselves in practical politics, she added.

She notes that business ethics violations have resulted in unhealthy competition and economic injustice.

"There are people who gain special facilities for their businesses because they are close to certain officials," she pointed out.

Helpless

As a House member, Roekmini learned that people were often helpless. There were many top-down policies made without any regard for those on the bottom. Some policies were inappropriate, but the decision makers were not aware of it.

"They did not know because they received reports that everything was running well," Roekmini said.

Roekmini always discussed her ideas with her House colleagues because she could not fight alone. She said that on many things they agreed with her but would not dare to openly show support when the issue was sensitive or controversial. They shared their ideas with Roekmini and begged her to speak up, but they remained silent.

The silent members destroy the integrity of the House and there is no wonder why the public has cynically dubbed the House a rubber stamp. It appears to approve all policies proposed by the government.

Commenting on House members who are afraid to speak up, Roekmini simply stated: "They have many interests."

Roekmini believes there is nothing to worry about as long as she tells the truth. She said she spoke out because the leaders of the Armed Forces faction encouraged her to do so.

"They said it was time to speak up," she said.

Telling the truth is one of her principles, along with being honest, just and pure. Roekmini says she learned her philosophy from Semar, a wise character in the Javanese shadow puppet plays.

Roekmini was promoted to brigadier general in 1992 and became the second female general in Indonesia after Brig. Gen. (ret.) Jeanne Mandagi.

Roekmini studied psychology at Gajah Mada University in Yogyakarta. In 1965 she joined the police force after a religious leader told her that the police needed her.

Armed with her final academic paper on prostitution, Roekmini went to a police station and met with the head of the station. She later went to Jakarta for the enrollment test, which she passed.

Career

Roekmini started building her career in the Yogyakarta police force in 1965. From 1972 to 1974 she was head of the intelligence section of the Yogyakarta regional police.

"It was cool. As an 'intel', I was the first person to know a lot of things," she said.

She was later promoted to head of the sociopolitical bureau of the Java-Madura Regional Command in Semarang. In 1982 she represented the Armed Forces in the House of Representatives.

"In 1981 I heard a voice saying that I would be sent to Jakarta to serve the people," she said.

She was surprised and felt a little bit upset because being a House member meant that she had to live far from her husband.

But it was her husband, Soedjono, who fully supported her career.

"I have been living separately from my husband for 28 years," she said.

She married Soedjono, a lecturer of Gajah Mada University, in 1964. From 1967 to 1979 he lived in Batang, Central Java, to take care of the university's tea plantation. He studied economics in Australia from 1979 to 1982.

The thing she wants most for herself is to live under the same roof with her husband.

She used to enjoy classical music but is now too busy to listen to music.

"If I listen to the music alone, I feel guilty about my husband. I feel complete loneliness," Roekmini said.

She lives in a police housing complex in Pangadekan, South Jakarta, alone. Once every two weeks she visits her four children in Yogyakarta.

She is frequently invited to speak about human rights by various institutions, including the police headquarters. Last month she spoke at six different seminars.

Roekmini lost one of her vocal cords a few years ago in an operation to remove a tumor from her throat. She cannot speak loudly, but that hasn't discouraged her from speaking up.