Mahfud Calls Visits To The Netherlands Efforts By The Government To Reach A Stall To Resolve Past Serious Human Rights Violations

Screenshot - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menkopolhukam) Mahfud MD together with Minister of Law and Human Rights (Menkumham) Yasonna H. Laoly,/ANTARA

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menkopolhukam) Mahfud MD said his working visit with the government to the Netherlands today was to restore the rights of victims of past gross human rights violations. The visit was an effort to implement the government's policy to penetrate the deadlock in the settlement of past gross human rights violations through non-judicial settlements. "“I and the government are trying to restore the rights of the victims, this is what we are now meeting in Amsterdam, now we meet in Amsterdam to restore the rights of the remaining victims, fairly and wisely without negliging a judicial settlement,” Mahfud said at an online press conference meeting with experts in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, monitored virtually in Jakarta, Antara Sunday, August 27. Mahfud said that the basis for the policy is Presidential Decree No. 17 of 2022 concerning the Establishment of a Team for the Non-judicial Settlement of Human Rights Violations (PPHAM) as the commitment of Indonesian President Joko Widodo in resolving past gross human rights violations which emphasizes the restoration of victims' rights. “ Then the follow-up is Presidential Instruction No. 2 of 2023. So there the President instructed 19 ministerial, commander-in-chief, and chief of police officials, ” he said. However, he emphasized that efforts to restore the rights of victims of past gross human rights violations did not negate efforts to resolve them through judicial channels. "Jadi kita ambil tindakan yang lebih cepat tetapi tidak menghambat, tidak menutup masalah-masala yang secara hukum sudah diatur yang judisial dan penyelesaian melalui KKR, Komisi Jerah dan Rekonsiliasi,” ujarnya. During the meeting, Mahfud and his staff were accompanied by the Minister of Law and Human Rights (Menkumham) Yasonna H. Laoly and his staff, and the Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands Mayerfas. On that occasion, 59 excavators from the Netherlands, six from Germany, and a number of excise from other European countries were present virtually. Previously, Monday (21/8), Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD revealed that he would make working visits (kunkers) to several European and South Korean countries starting Tuesday (22/8). "I will go to Turkey tomorrow for security cooperation. After that, I will go to Amsterdam, Prague and the Czech Republic," Mahfud said in Jakarta, Monday. The visit was made to discuss security to meet the 65 exploits. He will also inform regarding the implementation of human rights (HAM). Meanwhile, on Friday (23/6), Mahfud MD stated that there were 136 additional victims of gross human rights violations abroad.

Most of those recorded were victims of human rights violations during the 1965 –1966 incident, and the other two were exploits of the May 1998 riots and the Aceh KKA Intersection.