Yusril: Acid Attack on Activists is an Attack on Democracy
Jakarta (ANTARA) — Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra has firmly stated that the acid attack against KontraS human rights activist Andrie Yunus represents an attack on democratic values and the enforcement of human rights in Indonesia.
“Human rights activists work for the interests of the people and the nation, as human rights enforcement and democracy are mandated by our constitution,” Yusril told ANTARA in Jakarta on Friday.
According to him, in a democratic state, all parties must uphold mutual respect for differing viewpoints, and therefore violence against democracy and human rights activists cannot be justified under any circumstances.
In democracy, said Yusril, everyone should adhere to the principle of respecting differences and diversity since all actions should serve the common interest rather than personal interests.
Yusril has called on law enforcement authorities, particularly the Indonesian National Police (Polri), to conduct a thorough investigation not only to identify the perpetrators and their motives, but also to uncover those behind the incident.
“I am calling on law enforcement to ensure a complete investigation extending to the intellectual architects, not merely the perpetrators on the ground,” he said emphatically.
Yusril believes the pattern of the attack indicates signs of organised planning, and therefore the law enforcement process should not stop at the level of field perpetrators but must also uncover the intellectual actors behind it.
Yusril stated that the police are still conducting their investigation and are unable to disclose anything to the public at this stage.
He has urged the public to await the results of the police investigation so that the incident can be fully and objectively revealed.
“Acts of violence like this cannot be tolerated. Whoever the perpetrators are and whatever their motives, they must be prosecuted under applicable law,” he said.
Yusril also conveyed that President Prabowo Subianto has a strong commitment to upholding law, democracy and human rights.
Therefore, the government will never tolerate acts of violence in any form, whether against activists or anyone else, even if they disagree with or oppose the government.
Moreover, the President frequently invites those who disagree with the government to engage in open dialogue at the Presidential Palace.
“The President will not tolerate acts of violence against activists or anyone else,” Yusril said.