Prabowo Agrees That The Investigation Commission Is Formed To Investigate The August Riots

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto approved the proposal of civil society groups including the National Conscience Movement (GNB) to form an independent commission of investigation investigating a series of riots at the end of August in a number of areas.

The riots during that period, which GNB later referred to as a servant of August, were also colored by arson and looting, and the death toll from the series of incidents reached 10 people, including Affan Kurniawan who died from being run over by a Barracuda tactical vehicle belonging to Brimob Polri.

"I want to convey here that one of the demands of civil society which is also our aspiration of the NAM is the need to form an Independent Investigation Commission related to the incident of the August prehargage some time ago, which caused the death toll, victims of violence, injuries, and so on quite a lot. The President approved the formation, and of course later the Palace will present the format," said Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, who represented the Nation's Conscience Movement, during a press conference after a meeting between President Prabowo and GNB at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Thursday, August 11, reported by ANTARA.

Lukman explained that the independent investigation needed to be carried out because the demonstrations held by civil society, including activists, students, and students, were slandered as causing the riots.

Lukman assessed that the demonstration of expressing opinions is the right of every citizen protected by the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia (UUD 45).

"The demonstration is actually students, activists are peaceful as they usually express their demands, it is something that is guaranteed by the constitution. Then it turns into acts of violence, destruction of public facilities, even looting and so on, burning, and it then creates slander, accusations of all kinds of things. That's why then in order to eliminate all slander, accusations, accuse each other of each other, then it must be investigated," said Lukman.

He explained the reason why it should be an independent commission, because those assigned to investigate must be people with high integrity, professional, and independent.

"This Independent Investigation Commission (hopefully, ed.) has strong authority to carry out its roles, functions and duties," Lukman continued.

President Prabowo invited a number of interfaith figures and other national figures who were members of the Nation's Conscience Movement to the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Thursday. The Meeting of the President and the Nation's Conscience Movement lasted for approximately 3 hours. Several figures in the GNB who attended the Palace and had a dialogue with the President, including Father Franz Magnis-Suseno SJ, and Prof. M. Quraish Shihab.

Other figures who are members of the Nation's Conscience Movement, namely Sinta Nuriyah Abdurrahman Wahid, KH. Ahmad Mustofa Bisri, Mgr. Ignatius Cardinal Suharyo, Omi Komariah Nurcholish Madjid, Prof. Dr. Amin Abdullah, Bhikkhu Pannyavaro Mahathera, Alissa Q Wahid, Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, Karlina Rohima Supelli, Pastorof Gomar Gultom, Father A Setyo Wibowo SJ, Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas, Eri Seda, Laode Moh Syarif, Makarim Wibisono, Komaruddin Hidayat, and Slamet Rahardjo.