Indonesia
04.06.03
Urgent Interventions
Indonesia: attacks on human rights organisations
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
IDN 001/0503/OBS 026
Attacks / Threats / Disappearance / Murder
Indonesia
June 4th 2003
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 National Human Rights Commission of Indonesia (Komnas HAM) and the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KONTRAS) have been targeted by militia groups in separate violent attacks. Moreover, the Observatory has also been informed of the disappearance of Mr. Abdussalam Muhamad Deli and the murder of Mr. Raja Ismail, two Human Rights activists in East Aceh.
According to the information received, on the 20th of May, 1000 civilian militias arrived at the headquarters of Komnas HAM to threaten them with violence if the investigation into the 1965 massacre continued. Indeed, during the 1965 massacre, the Suharto Government is thought to have been responsible for the extermination of an estimated 1 million unarmed civilians, the political imprisonment and torture of 200,000 political opponents and the life-long exclusion and discrimination of anyone with suspected links to Communism. Nothing has as yet been done by the authorities concerning this massacre. The investigation team of Komnas HAM was to present its first report on May 15th, which has since been rescheduled for 6th June.
Furthermore, according to the information received, on May 26th, during the commemoration of the International Week of the Disappeared, about 30 people from the Pemuda Panca Marga (PPM, The Youth of the Veterans) with paramilitary uniforms, demonstrated in front of the office of KONTRAS. They attacked KONTRAS, and in particular its founder Mr. Munir, for their criticism against the Indonesian government’s policy in handling the Aceh problem. They accused KONTRAS’ members of being foreign agents and selling human rights. Then, the PPM left the KONTRAS office, but locked and sealed the entrance gate in the name of the state.
On May 27th, 150 PPM members, attacked the same office once again while KONTRAS was conducting a press conference in relation to the International Week of the Disappeared. They insulted three officers and personnel by forcing them to sing the national anthem and mocking them as pseudo-nationalists when they refused to sing it. Worse still, they physically assaulted them resulting in physical injuries and eventual hospitalisation. Furthermore, these people entered into the office premises and violently destroyed office equipment and paraphernalia. The PPI members left and then went to the office of the PBHI (the Association of Law and Human Rights Advocates). They wounded one of the PBHI’s staff members, who succeeded in forcing the assailants to leave.
During these attacks, the police were present, but did not intervene. Later the police said that the group of persons was too large to control. Three members of KONTRAS were wounded in the attack. KONTRAS is filing a case concerning this attack. The Observatory recalls that the previous office of KONTRAS was raided in March 2002 by members of the Indonesian military (for further information, see Observatory Appeal IDN 001/0302/OBS 020). The Observatory is concerned that these attacks signal the continued involvement of civilian militias and paramilitary groups in Indonesian politics and consider that the attacks against the offices of Komnas HAM and KONTRAS are part of a pattern of intimidation of human rights defenders and organisations in Indonesia.
Finally, the AHRC has informed the Observatory that Mr. Abdussalam Muhamad Deli, a 23 year old volunteer of the PB-HAM East Aceh (Human Rights and Legal Aid Post), an NGO that carries out advocacy through data collection, campaigning and legal assistance, has reportedly been missing since May 11th. He was travelling from Central Langsa on a small public bus to visit his family's village. The bus was stopped by unknown men in civilian clothing on the main road between Banda Aceh and Medan. They forced him out of the bus into a “Kijang” car with dark windows and drove away in the direction of the city of Langsa. Volunteers from PB-HAM East Aceh have asked about Abdussalam's whereabouts to the police and authorities of East Aceh.
On the same day, Mr. Raja Ismail, a 50-year-old volunteer of PB-HAM East Aceh, was reportedly abducted outside Langsa. According to the information received, Mr. Ismail left his house in Kuala Simpang, Aceh Tamiang district to bring some data on victims of violence to the office of PB-HAM in Langsa. On the night of May 11th, he had still not returned to his house. On May 13th, his body was found in the Titi Kembar River in Langsa Lama village, East Aceh district. The corpse showed signs of strangling, had knife wounds and bruises.
The Observatory expresses its support to the Indonesian Human Rights associations and condemns these acts and threats of violence that are aimed at dissuading the human rights defenders from carrying out their activities. More generally, the Observatory is gravely concerned by the current crisis in Aceh, in which human rights defenders are prevented from carrying out any activities without facing potentially fatal risks.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities urging them to:
i. put an end to all forms of harassment and threats against Komnas HAM, KONTRAS 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. take all measures to located the whereabouts of Mr. Abdussalam Muhamad Deli,
guarantee his physical and psychological integrity and order his release;
iv. identify and sanction those responsible for his disappearance;
v. identify and sanction those responsible for the murder of Mr. Raja Ismail;
vi. conform with 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”), in particular article 1, which states that "everyone has the right, individually or in association with others, to promote the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" and 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”;
vii. guarantee the application of 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 2685
· 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, June 4th 2003
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, E-mail observatoire@iprolink.ch,
Tel. : FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT : + 41 22 809 49 39
IDN 001/0503/OBS 026
Attacks / Threats / Disappearance / Murder
Indonesia
June 4th 2003
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 National Human Rights Commission of Indonesia (Komnas HAM) and the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KONTRAS) have been targeted by militia groups in separate violent attacks. Moreover, the Observatory has also been informed of the disappearance of Mr. Abdussalam Muhamad Deli and the murder of Mr. Raja Ismail, two Human Rights activists in East Aceh.
According to the information received, on the 20th of May, 1000 civilian militias arrived at the headquarters of Komnas HAM to threaten them with violence if the investigation into the 1965 massacre continued. Indeed, during the 1965 massacre, the Suharto Government is thought to have been responsible for the extermination of an estimated 1 million unarmed civilians, the political imprisonment and torture of 200,000 political opponents and the life-long exclusion and discrimination of anyone with suspected links to Communism. Nothing has as yet been done by the authorities concerning this massacre. The investigation team of Komnas HAM was to present its first report on May 15th, which has since been rescheduled for 6th June.
Furthermore, according to the information received, on May 26th, during the commemoration of the International Week of the Disappeared, about 30 people from the Pemuda Panca Marga (PPM, The Youth of the Veterans) with paramilitary uniforms, demonstrated in front of the office of KONTRAS. They attacked KONTRAS, and in particular its founder Mr. Munir, for their criticism against the Indonesian government’s policy in handling the Aceh problem. They accused KONTRAS’ members of being foreign agents and selling human rights. Then, the PPM left the KONTRAS office, but locked and sealed the entrance gate in the name of the state.
On May 27th, 150 PPM members, attacked the same office once again while KONTRAS was conducting a press conference in relation to the International Week of the Disappeared. They insulted three officers and personnel by forcing them to sing the national anthem and mocking them as pseudo-nationalists when they refused to sing it. Worse still, they physically assaulted them resulting in physical injuries and eventual hospitalisation. Furthermore, these people entered into the office premises and violently destroyed office equipment and paraphernalia. The PPI members left and then went to the office of the PBHI (the Association of Law and Human Rights Advocates). They wounded one of the PBHI’s staff members, who succeeded in forcing the assailants to leave.
During these attacks, the police were present, but did not intervene. Later the police said that the group of persons was too large to control. Three members of KONTRAS were wounded in the attack. KONTRAS is filing a case concerning this attack. The Observatory recalls that the previous office of KONTRAS was raided in March 2002 by members of the Indonesian military (for further information, see Observatory Appeal IDN 001/0302/OBS 020). The Observatory is concerned that these attacks signal the continued involvement of civilian militias and paramilitary groups in Indonesian politics and consider that the attacks against the offices of Komnas HAM and KONTRAS are part of a pattern of intimidation of human rights defenders and organisations in Indonesia.
Finally, the AHRC has informed the Observatory that Mr. Abdussalam Muhamad Deli, a 23 year old volunteer of the PB-HAM East Aceh (Human Rights and Legal Aid Post), an NGO that carries out advocacy through data collection, campaigning and legal assistance, has reportedly been missing since May 11th. He was travelling from Central Langsa on a small public bus to visit his family's village. The bus was stopped by unknown men in civilian clothing on the main road between Banda Aceh and Medan. They forced him out of the bus into a “Kijang” car with dark windows and drove away in the direction of the city of Langsa. Volunteers from PB-HAM East Aceh have asked about Abdussalam's whereabouts to the police and authorities of East Aceh.
On the same day, Mr. Raja Ismail, a 50-year-old volunteer of PB-HAM East Aceh, was reportedly abducted outside Langsa. According to the information received, Mr. Ismail left his house in Kuala Simpang, Aceh Tamiang district to bring some data on victims of violence to the office of PB-HAM in Langsa. On the night of May 11th, he had still not returned to his house. On May 13th, his body was found in the Titi Kembar River in Langsa Lama village, East Aceh district. The corpse showed signs of strangling, had knife wounds and bruises.
The Observatory expresses its support to the Indonesian Human Rights associations and condemns these acts and threats of violence that are aimed at dissuading the human rights defenders from carrying out their activities. More generally, the Observatory is gravely concerned by the current crisis in Aceh, in which human rights defenders are prevented from carrying out any activities without facing potentially fatal risks.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities urging them to:
i. put an end to all forms of harassment and threats against Komnas HAM, KONTRAS 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. take all measures to located the whereabouts of Mr. Abdussalam Muhamad Deli,
guarantee his physical and psychological integrity and order his release;
iv. identify and sanction those responsible for his disappearance;
v. identify and sanction those responsible for the murder of Mr. Raja Ismail;
vi. conform with 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”), in particular article 1, which states that "everyone has the right, individually or in association with others, to promote the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" and 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”;
vii. guarantee the application of 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 2685
· 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, June 4th 2003
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, E-mail observatoire@iprolink.ch,
Tel. : FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT : + 41 22 809 49 39