Bung Budiman Sudjatmiko, For Activist 98 Prabowo Subianto, The Figure Who Left Past Wounds

Secretary General of the Democratic People's Party (PRD) for the period 1996 2002 Petrus H. Hariyanto during a press conference in Jakarta, Thursday (27/7/2023). (ANTARA/Fauzi Lamboka)

JAKARTA - Dozens of 98 activists who are members of the Democratic People's Forum (FRD) reminded politician Budiman Sujatmiko to reminisce about past tragedy. "Budiman felt the coldness of the prison cell himself, when it was hot we felt excited, we were surrounded by mosquitoes every night," said Secretary General of the Democratic People's Party (PRD) for the 1996-2002 period Petrus H. Hariyanto during a press conference in Jakarta, Antara, Thursday, July 27. Petrus was the Secretary General when Budiman was trusted as chairman of PRD. They together with a number of activists founded PRD on July 22, 1996. "27 years ago, Budiman Sujatmiko as General Chair and I as Secretary General, we declared the Democratic People's Party, when Suharto's power was firmly established. Establishing a political party at that time was a criminal act and had consequences of punishment," he said. Petrus also regretted Budiman's meeting with Prabowo Subianto. Prabowo for activist 98 is considered a figure who still leaves wounds in the past. "Budiman actually came to Prabowo. Budiman is a symbol of the resistance activist of the New Order era which brought down Suharto's dictatorship," he asserted. In fact, he said, Budiman in several media stated that he wanted to donate to the unity of nationalists. Prabowo, according to Budiman, is a figure who is able to unite nationalists. "We want to tell Budiman in this forum, we are also donated, still struggling to uncover the kidnapping case, what must be responsible is Prabowo," he asserted. Even Budiman also said that there is no need to burden Prabowo with the past, because the past is the past. "The family of the kidnapping victim said why Budiman stated that we no longer need to question the kidnapping case, no longer question Prabowo's violations," he said. According to him, the historical facts of Prabowo being involved in the kidnapping case, Prabowo has even been fired from ABRI. Meanwhile, former Indonesian Student Solidarity for Democracy (SMID) activist Lilik Hastuti said activists in the past were repressed and accused of communists after July 27, 1996. "It is a historical fact, not fiction. The past is full of blood, tears and sacrifices that must be remembered. Don't ignore it, let alone forget it. Ex-activists who are figures in various political parties are currently born from the sacrifices of their friends," he asserted. According to the records of the Indonesian Missing Persons Family Association (IKOHI), there are 13 people who have not returned to this day. Four of them are PRD activists, namely Wiji Thukul, Bima Petrus, Herman Hendrawan, and Suyat. While Gilang was found dead in the forest in Magetan on May 23, 1998. In October 2009, the DPR made four recommendations for the President of the Republic of Indonesia regarding the settlement of the 1997-1998 forced disappearance case. First, recommending the President of the Republic of Indonesia to form an ad hoc human rights court. Second, recommending the President of the Republic of Indonesia and government institutions and related parties to look for 13 activists who are still missing. Third, recommending the government to rehabilitate and provide compensation to the families of the missing victims. Fourth, recommending the government ratify the Anti-Disappearance convention as a form of commitment and support to stop the practice of forced removal in Indonesia. Recent developments, the 1997/1998 forced disappearance case has received recognition from the President of the Republic of Indonesia on January 11, 2023. This is based on the recommendation of the non-judicial completion team for gross human rights violations (PPHAM) on the president's policy through Presidential Decree No. 17/2022. However, the struggle of the victim's family is still long to obtain their rights in accordance with the recommendations of the 2009 DPR RI. According to IKOHI Secretary General Zaenal Mutaqien, the families of the victims of missing persons and other human rights victims even though they received the reparation, still demanded a judicial settlement by the state.

“ So it is not true that the families of victims of human rights do not want a judicial settlement. And a judicial settlement will be difficult if this country will be led by past human rights criminals,” he asserted.