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