Indonesia
22.03.02
Urgent Interventions
Indonesia: attacks against two well known human rights organisation
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
IDN 001/0302/OBS 020
Attacks/Threats/Destruction of property
Indonesia
22nd March 2002
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of FIDH and OMCT, requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Indonesia.
Brief description of the situation :
The Observatory has been informed by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) that
two well known Indonesian human rights organisations, the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KONTRAS) and the Urban Poor Consortium (UPC), have been targeted by militia groups in separate violent attacks that both took place on March 13th, 2002.
According to the information received, at 1:30 p.m., nine buses arrived at the KONTRAS office filled with around 100 unidentified persons calling themselves the “Families of Cawang Victims 1998”. Mr. Munir, the founder of KONTRAS, was personally attacked in his office by 5 or 6 persons, but he managed to escape with minor injuries. The attackers also forced their way into KONTRAS’ Data-Analysis Room, badly injured Mr. Edwin Partogi, the data-analyst, and took key files relating to KONTRAS cases in Aceh, Papua, Maluka and Poso. Then, they smashed all of the windows and many of the desks of the office and all but one of their computer terminals, as well as raiding food supplies meant for flood victims and stealing vital documents related to human rights abuses around Indonesia – in particular those related to the killing of Theys Eluay (Papuan independence leader) and the engineering of the communal violence in Maluku and Central Sulawesi.
The attackers claimed that their action was motivated by the anger at KONTRAS’ unwillingness to take up the case of the “Cawang Victims”, which were killed during clashes with pro-democracy student activists in the Cawang Sub-District of East Jakarta in 1998. In addition, the attackers also referred to the Trisakti and Semanggi incidents that occurred in 1998 and 1999, during which Muslim people were killed by the military at the same time as numerous students, and demanded that KONTRAS investigate the deaths of these Muslim people. But their real agenda was highlighted by Mr. Munir himself: «When they were attacking me, I told them that if they felt there was a case of discrimination or human rights violation, they should give me the information and I will take this case up as well. But they said: “No, we just want you to stop investigating the student deaths”». The group identifying itself as family members of the “Families of Cawang Victims 1998” was previously unknown.
On the same day, at 10:15 a.m., the UPC, led by Mrs. Wardah Hafidz, was demonstrating in front of the City Hall in Central Jakarta, calling for the city Governor, Mr. Sutiyoso, to take responsibility for the floods that devastated their communities. The protestors unfolded a 1km banner with the signatures of victims of the floods, but almost immediately, “supporters” of Governor Sutiyoso, calling themselves the Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR), arrived on dozens of motorcycles and cars and grabbed the banner. They demanded that the protestors leave, pointed a sword at Mrs. Wardah and beat one of the protestors who was trying to protect her. They delivered a statement to Mrs. Wardah saying the FBR was ready to attack her and the UPC for “causing chaos”. Just afterwards, these “supporters” continued their journey to the nearby City Council in order to ask the City Council chairman, Mr. Edy Waluyo, to be provided with jobs. One of the supporters admitted that he was promised Rp 50,000 to join the group.
The UPC was protesting against the alleged government’s mishandling of the flood crisis. In addition, it was demanding the authorities to pay Rp 2.7 billion (US$270,000) in compensation for the 365,000 people who were forced to flee to temporary shelter during the floods.
Both UPC and KONTRAS have vowed to continue their fight for the victims of state violence and corruption, despite the attacks they have suffered from civilian militia gangs, which appear to be manipulated by the military and the Suharto elite in order to prevent any further moves towards bringing perpetrators of human rights violations to justice.
The Observatory is concerned that these attacks are a sign of the continued involvement of civilian militias and paramilitary groups in Indonesian politics and consider that the attacks against the KONTRAS office and the UPC are part of a pattern of intimidation of human rights defenders and organisations in Indonesia.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities urging them to:
i. put an end to all forms of harassment and threats against KONTRAS, the UPC, and their respective members, and more generally against all human rights defenders and their organisations in Indonesia;
ii. order an immediate investigation in these attacks, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law; arrest, charge and bring to court the perpetrators of the attacks;
iii. abide by the provisions of the Declaration on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders adopted on the 9th of December 1998, by the U.N. General Assembly (“Declaration on the right and responsibility of individuals, groups and organs of society to promote and protect universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms”), particularly, Article 12(2) which states that « The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present declaration. ».
iv. more generally abide by the Universal declaration on Human Rights and Covenants and international Conventions ratified by Indonesia.
Addresses:
- Mrs. Megawati Sukarnoputri, President, Republic of Indonesia, Presidential Palace, Jakarta Istana Negara, Indonesia; Fax: + 6221 345 7782
- Mr. Marsillam Simandjuntak, SH, Attorney General of Indonesia , Attorney General's Office
Jakarta, Indonesia; Fax: +6221 720 8557
- Mr. Ihza Mahendra Yusril, Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Uahi Utoyo Usman S.H., Menteri Kehkiman, JI. H.R. Rosuna Said Kav. 6-7, Kuningan, Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia
Fax: + 6221 525 3095
- Gen. Surojo Bimantoro, National Chief of Police, Jl. Trunojoyo, No. 3 Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia
Fax: + 6221 720 7277
**************
Geneva - Paris, 22nd March 2002
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken, quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a joint FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
To contact the Observatory, call the Emergency Line: Fax : 33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel. : FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT : + 41 22 809 49 39
E-mail observatoire@iprolink.ch
IDN 001/0302/OBS 020
Attacks/Threats/Destruction of property
Indonesia
22nd March 2002
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of FIDH and OMCT, requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Indonesia.
Brief description of the situation :
The Observatory has been informed by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) that
two well known Indonesian human rights organisations, the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KONTRAS) and the Urban Poor Consortium (UPC), have been targeted by militia groups in separate violent attacks that both took place on March 13th, 2002.
According to the information received, at 1:30 p.m., nine buses arrived at the KONTRAS office filled with around 100 unidentified persons calling themselves the “Families of Cawang Victims 1998”. Mr. Munir, the founder of KONTRAS, was personally attacked in his office by 5 or 6 persons, but he managed to escape with minor injuries. The attackers also forced their way into KONTRAS’ Data-Analysis Room, badly injured Mr. Edwin Partogi, the data-analyst, and took key files relating to KONTRAS cases in Aceh, Papua, Maluka and Poso. Then, they smashed all of the windows and many of the desks of the office and all but one of their computer terminals, as well as raiding food supplies meant for flood victims and stealing vital documents related to human rights abuses around Indonesia – in particular those related to the killing of Theys Eluay (Papuan independence leader) and the engineering of the communal violence in Maluku and Central Sulawesi.
The attackers claimed that their action was motivated by the anger at KONTRAS’ unwillingness to take up the case of the “Cawang Victims”, which were killed during clashes with pro-democracy student activists in the Cawang Sub-District of East Jakarta in 1998. In addition, the attackers also referred to the Trisakti and Semanggi incidents that occurred in 1998 and 1999, during which Muslim people were killed by the military at the same time as numerous students, and demanded that KONTRAS investigate the deaths of these Muslim people. But their real agenda was highlighted by Mr. Munir himself: «When they were attacking me, I told them that if they felt there was a case of discrimination or human rights violation, they should give me the information and I will take this case up as well. But they said: “No, we just want you to stop investigating the student deaths”». The group identifying itself as family members of the “Families of Cawang Victims 1998” was previously unknown.
On the same day, at 10:15 a.m., the UPC, led by Mrs. Wardah Hafidz, was demonstrating in front of the City Hall in Central Jakarta, calling for the city Governor, Mr. Sutiyoso, to take responsibility for the floods that devastated their communities. The protestors unfolded a 1km banner with the signatures of victims of the floods, but almost immediately, “supporters” of Governor Sutiyoso, calling themselves the Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR), arrived on dozens of motorcycles and cars and grabbed the banner. They demanded that the protestors leave, pointed a sword at Mrs. Wardah and beat one of the protestors who was trying to protect her. They delivered a statement to Mrs. Wardah saying the FBR was ready to attack her and the UPC for “causing chaos”. Just afterwards, these “supporters” continued their journey to the nearby City Council in order to ask the City Council chairman, Mr. Edy Waluyo, to be provided with jobs. One of the supporters admitted that he was promised Rp 50,000 to join the group.
The UPC was protesting against the alleged government’s mishandling of the flood crisis. In addition, it was demanding the authorities to pay Rp 2.7 billion (US$270,000) in compensation for the 365,000 people who were forced to flee to temporary shelter during the floods.
Both UPC and KONTRAS have vowed to continue their fight for the victims of state violence and corruption, despite the attacks they have suffered from civilian militia gangs, which appear to be manipulated by the military and the Suharto elite in order to prevent any further moves towards bringing perpetrators of human rights violations to justice.
The Observatory is concerned that these attacks are a sign of the continued involvement of civilian militias and paramilitary groups in Indonesian politics and consider that the attacks against the KONTRAS office and the UPC are part of a pattern of intimidation of human rights defenders and organisations in Indonesia.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities urging them to:
i. put an end to all forms of harassment and threats against KONTRAS, the UPC, and their respective members, and more generally against all human rights defenders and their organisations in Indonesia;
ii. order an immediate investigation in these attacks, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law; arrest, charge and bring to court the perpetrators of the attacks;
iii. abide by the provisions of the Declaration on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders adopted on the 9th of December 1998, by the U.N. General Assembly (“Declaration on the right and responsibility of individuals, groups and organs of society to promote and protect universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms”), particularly, Article 12(2) which states that « The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present declaration. ».
iv. more generally abide by the Universal declaration on Human Rights and Covenants and international Conventions ratified by Indonesia.
Addresses:
- Mrs. Megawati Sukarnoputri, President, Republic of Indonesia, Presidential Palace, Jakarta Istana Negara, Indonesia; Fax: + 6221 345 7782
- Mr. Marsillam Simandjuntak, SH, Attorney General of Indonesia , Attorney General's Office
Jakarta, Indonesia; Fax: +6221 720 8557
- Mr. Ihza Mahendra Yusril, Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Uahi Utoyo Usman S.H., Menteri Kehkiman, JI. H.R. Rosuna Said Kav. 6-7, Kuningan, Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia
Fax: + 6221 525 3095
- Gen. Surojo Bimantoro, National Chief of Police, Jl. Trunojoyo, No. 3 Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia
Fax: + 6221 720 7277
**************
Geneva - Paris, 22nd March 2002
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken, quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a joint FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
To contact the Observatory, call the Emergency Line: Fax : 33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel. : FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT : + 41 22 809 49 39
E-mail observatoire@iprolink.ch