Water Torture of Human Rights Activists is a Test for the State to Reveal the Mastermind

JAKARTA - Legal and political observer Pieter C Zulkifl, said the hard water terror against human rights activists was an ironic event that kept repeating, even though Indonesia as a democratic country often celebrates freedom in public spaces, but secretly allows fear to work in the corridors of power.

He said the water cannon attack was not just a crime, but a silent message that wanted to shrink courage and be a test for the country to uncover the 'mastermind' behind it.

Pieter Zulkifli even saw this phenomenon as a serious symptom of the country's commitment to enforcing the law without discrimination. The former Chairman of Commission III of the DPR also questioned the presence of the state in the case of terror by human rights activists.

"Terror against human rights activists reveals the dark face of power, not just a crime, but an alarm for democracy and a test for the country to dare to reveal the mastermind to the end," said Pieter Zulkifli in a written statement, Monday, April 6.

According to Pieter, the attack of hard water spraying on Andrie Yunus is not merely violence against individuals, but a symbolic attack on democracy itself. Namely an attempt to silence critical voices through brutal physical terror.

"In a country that claims to be democratic, this kind of action not only injures the victim's body, but also tears apart the constitutional guarantee of security and freedom of opinion," he said.

Pieter Zulkifli emphasized that the Indonesian constitution explicitly guarantees this. Article 28G paragraph (1) of the 1945 Constitution states that 'everyone has the right to protection of personal, family, honor, dignity, and property, and the right to security and protection from threats of fear'.

"This provision is emphasized in Law Number 39 of 1999 concerning Human Rights, which states that everyone has the right to fight for human rights without intimidation. When a human rights defender becomes a victim of terror, then what is at stake is not only the safety of individuals, but the credibility of the rule of law itself," he said.

Not only that, he said the fact that the alleged perpetrator came from the state apparatus made this case much more serious. He said, modern democracy is based on the principle that power is limited by law and is supervised by civil society.

"However, when some of the officers are suspected of being perpetrators of violence against citizens, the relationship reverses where power no longer protects, but threatens. At this point, democracy begins to be blocked, criticism is seen as a threat, not as a correction mechanism," he explained.

According to Pieter, this pattern is not new in Indonesian history. Public memory still bears the wounds of Munir Said Thalib's death and the attack on Novel Baswedan. In both cases, the perpetrators of the field were indeed tried, but the intellectual actors behind the scenes remained an untouchable shadow. This repeating history, he said, raises collective suspicion.

"Does the law really work, or does it just stop at the most politically safe level? Therefore, revealing the mastermind is the key. Without touching the intellectual actors, justice will always be lopsided," he said.

"As Martin Luther King Jr. said, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere', injustice that is left, especially those involving the power structure, will undermine the foundation of justice as a whole. In this context, the failure to reveal the mastermind is not only a legal failure, but also a moral failure of the state," continued Pieter.

Pieter Zulkifli then alluded to President Prabowo Subianto's statement that this attack was a 'barbaric act' and ordered the authorities to investigate thoroughly to uncover the perpetrators.

"This statement should not stop as political rhetoric. It must be translated into bold, independent, and transparent law enforcement work. Without it, public confidence will continue to be eroded," he said.

He emphasized that democracy has never grown in a sterile space of conflict. It is always born from struggle, even sacrifice.

Pieter Zulkifli then quoted Nelson Mandela's statement who once reminded 'freedom is not easily won, it is fought for and defended'. He emphasized, freedom is not given easily, but is fought for and defended often at a high price.

"Human rights defenders, such as Andrie Yunus, are at the forefront of that struggle. They are the guardians of public conscience who often have to pay dearly for their courage," he said.

However, Pieter reminded the state not to let the struggle become a lonely path full of obstacles. In the theory of democracy, he said, the state has a positive obligation to protect citizens, especially those who are vulnerable because of advocacy activities.

"When the state fails to carry out this function, then democracy turns into a hollow procedure: there are elections, there are institutions, but there is no real guarantee of civil liberties," he said.

Furthermore, Pieter said that if this kind of brutal action is left without thorough disclosure, the effect will spread widely. Activists, journalists, and civil society will work in the shadow of fear.

"This is what is called a chilling effect, a situation when people choose to be silent not because they don't have a voice, but because they are afraid of the consequences. In the long run, this condition is much more dangerous than open repression, because it works subtly but systematically," he said.

For Pieter Zulkifli, this is where it is important to make the Andrie Yunus case a turning point. The state must show that there is no room for impunity, especially if it involves officials. Law enforcement must penetrate to the deepest network, revealing the relationships, motives, and interests behind the attack. Without it, democracy will continue to live in a latent, fragile threat behind its formalities.

"As Aung San Suu Kyi reminded, 'It is not power that corrupts but fear'. It is not power alone that corrupts, but fear. Fear of losing power, fear of criticism, fear of change. When fear turns into violence, then democracy is at its lowest point," said Pieter Zulkifli.

Therefore, he emphasized that justice in this case is not only for Andrie Yunus. It is about ensuring that Indonesian democracy is not watered down by fear, but treated with courage.

"The courage to reveal the truth, enforce the law without discrimination, and protect every citizen who dares to speak out. That is where the country is tested, and that is where the future of democracy is determined," he concluded.