The case of Tjetje Tajuddin
The case of Tjetje Tajuddin
From Neraca
Tjetje Tajuddin's death while he was being detained by the Bogor district police reflects a poor respect for human rights in the security sector. And this is a great concern for us.
The enforcement of human rights in Indonesia, as an implementation of the 1945 Constitution and Pancasila, has not been adequately implemented by the executive level of the security sector. Poor respect for human rights among senior security personnel, has repeatedly resulted in tragedies that are both moving and embarrassing.
Tjetje's case is just one of many that have happened, revealing that no meaningful progress has been made in the understanding of human rights at the executive level of the security sector.
Worse than that, legal awareness at this level has to be proven still. Legal protection for a prisoner, whatever his/her status, and particularly if just an unconvicted suspect, has been totally neglected, as shown by Tjetje's death. Undoubtedly, the Bogor district police will assume responsibility for his death.
But, even so, there is a probability that the National Commission on Human Rights will conduct a separate investigation into the case. Death by torture, after all, is a serious incident. Not that we do not trust the police, but, accuracy, transparency and objectivity should be maintained.
We should not regard this unfortunate incident as an everyday occurrence. What is to become of us if a citizen is allowed to be tortured by security personnel and dies as a result of the treatment and nothing happens as a result?
It would imply that independence, the law and justice, have ceased to exist. It would mean that the ideals, grounded in the 1945 Constitution, have been tossed away.
Therefore, we should take a serious stance in the case of Tjetje, who died in detention, to prove that the law, justice and independence still prevail over crimes, including those committed by people in authority.
AGUS MIFTAH
Chairman
Indonesian Environment
Movement
Jakarta