Pak Luhut, Haris And Fatia Are Judged By Observers As An Effort To Suppress The Opposition So They Don't Nag To The Government

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. (Antaranews)

JAKARTA - Human rights activists Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti have been named suspects in the alleged defamation case based on the report of Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

According to political observer Rocky Gerung, the effort to criminalize Haris and Fatia is part of a plan to suppress the criticism of the government.

"We want to mention directly that it is an effort to suppress the opposition so they don't be too fussy with the government," said Rocky on the Rocky Gerung Official YouTube channel, Monday, March 21.

Haris and Fatia were reported by Luhut because they discussed the results of research from a number of organizations such as KontraS, Walhi, Jatam, YLBHI, Pusaka about the business of TNI AD officials or retirees behind the gold mining business as well as plans to exploit the Wabu Block area in Intan Jaya, Papua.

Haris and Fatia's discussion was recorded in a video entitled 'There's a Lord Luhut Behind Intan Jaya's Military-OPS Economic Relations!! General BIN is also there!'. The video was uploaded on Haris Azhar's YouTube channel.

Rocky emphasized that Haris and Fatia discussed the results of research from various organizations that want Indonesia to be free from corruption. So it is not appropriate to respond with a complaint offense.

"Initially this was research, not because of suspicions between Pak Luhut's business there and several generals of military operations in Papua, right, so the issue is not an issue of defamation," he said.

The inaccuracy of the alleged criminal acts that were reported, said Rocky, made the case of alleged defamation of Luhut with the suspects Haris and Fatia in the international public spotlight.

"Some friends abroad called me, 'Why is it suddenly about the ITE Law because the basis is research to find out issues, the hypothesis that there is a connection between military operations in Papua and the business of several generals including Pak Luhut there. Pak Luhut, now what we see is a political reaction," he added.

Rocky requested that this matter not be continued in the criminal realm. He hopes that Haris, Fatia and Luhut have an argument in public instead of reporting each other