12 Human Rights Violations 1965 To 2003, Government Admits But Doesn't Say Sorry

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD (ANTARA)

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menkopolhukam) Mahfud MD said the Government did not apologize to the public regarding gross human rights violations (HAM) in the past in 12 events prone to 1965 to 2003.

This was stated in a recommendation from the Non-Judicial Settlement Team for Serious Human Rights Violations in a meeting chaired by President Joko Widodo in Jakarta, Tuesday.

"In the recommendation for non-judicial settlement, there is no apology from the Government to the public because of the incident; but the Government admits that the incident did happen and the Government regrets the incident," Mahfud said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, May 2.

President Jokowi has issued Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 2 of 2023 concerning the Implementation of Heavy Non-Judicial Settlement Recommendations for Human Rights Violations (PPHAM).

The Presidential Instruction has assigned 19 ministries and non-ministerial government agencies (K/L) to implement PPHAM recommendations, namely restoring victims' rights to incidents of gross human rights violations fairly and wisely and preventing gross human rights violations from happening again.

"So, there is no apology and there has been no change in the legal status of past events. For example, TAP MPRS Number 25 of 1966 remains in effect as an unmodified stipulation, then regarding events that have been decided by the court also applies," he added.

This means, according to Mahfud, the performance of the PPHAM Monitoring Team focuses on victims of past gross human rights violations against 12 events.

"The incident certainly cannot be added by the government, because according to the law that determines gross human rights violations or not, it is Komnas HAM; and Komnas HAM recommends 12 that have occurred since decades ago," said Mahfud.

The 12 incidents were the events of 1965-1966, the 1982-1985 Mysterious Shooting Incident, the Talangsari Incident in Lampung in 1989, the Geudong Rumoh Incident and the Sattis Post in Aceh in 1989, the 1997-1998 Forced Disappearance Incident, and the May 1998 Riots Incident.

Next are Trisakti and Semanggi I-II Incidents in 1998-1999, Dukun Santet Murder Incident in 1998-1999, KKA Intersection Incident in Aceh in 1999, Wasior Incident in Papua in 2001-2002, Wamena Incident in Papua in 2003, and Jambo Keupok Incident in Aceh in 2003.

"I want the public to understand the difference between gross human rights violations and serious crimes. Serious human rights violations are focused on the elements, where the perpetrators involve the apparatus in a structured manner,"

"Maybe only two or three victims were victims, but that could be serious human rights violations; but if the perpetrators were civilians, otherwise. Even though the victims were hundreds, such as the Bali bombing incident, it was not a serious human rights violation but a serious crime; to be understood," Mahfud explained.

The government focuses attention on victims, not on perpetrators of past gross human rights violations.

"Because when it comes to the perpetrators, it concerns the judicial settlement which must be decided by Komnas HAM together with the DPR, to be handed over to the government. This is a heavy point on the victim, not the perpetrator. We will not look for the perpetrators in a non-judicial settlement," said Mahfud.