UPDATE (Indonesia): Parliament must formally revoke 2001 recommendation and call for ad hoc human rights court to prosecute Trisakti and Semanggi killings 

[RE: UA-23-2002: Sign petition for attorney general to bring justice to May 1998 riot victims; UP-81-2005: Attorney General Refuses to investigate gross violations of human rights that were committed at Trisakti/Semanggi; UP-102-2005: House of Representatives must recommend the establishment of an ad-hoc human rights court on the Trisakti/Semanggi killings in its coming plenary session.]
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UP-045-2006: INDONESIA: Parliament must formally revoke 2001 recommendation and call for ad hoc human rights court to prosecute Trisakti and Semanggi killings

INDONESIA: Impunity; ineffective remedies
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to you with updated information regarding the Trisakti and Semanggi killings of 1998-99. In our previous appeals (see UP-102-2005, UP-81-2005, UA-23-2002) we noted that Indonesia’s House of Representatives in 2001 denied that the killings constituted gross human rights violations. Although this denial was revoked by the Third Commission of the House of Representatives in June 2005, it needs to be confirmed by the parliament. This did not occur in its plenary session of August 2005, as had been expected. Since then, while there has been lip service and other symbolic gestures made by parliamentarians towards the victims’ families, no effective action towards justice has been taken.

The Chief of the House of Representatives has on numerous occasions promised the families of the victims that under internal mechanisms, a discussion would be held in either the chair meeting (Rapat Pimpinan) or the forum body meeting (Rapat Badan Musyawarah) regarding the decision of the Third Commission. The forum body meeting has been held already, with no mention of the Trisakti and Semanggi case.

On 17 February 2006, the chair meeting was held and it was agreed that for ethical reasons the 2001 recommendation must be revoked. However, the parliament refused to accept this decision as it is based on an internal mechanism, rather than a formal decision of the parliament. This caused much outrage amongst victims’ families, students and local activists.

On 23 February 2006, during another forum body meeting it was agreed to have a further discussion regarding this matter in the Third Commission of the parliament. The Commission is now obliged to discuss the issue and bring it to the next plenary session of the parliament. However, there seems to be no time frame regarding when this discussion should occur.

Until the parliament formally revokes its 2001 recommendation and calls for the establishment of an ad hoc human rights court, the victims of the Trisakti and Semanggi killings will obtain no justice. Under Indonesian law, the establishment of an ad hoc human rights court is the only legal remedy available for gross human rights violations committed before 2000. Its establishment requires a parliamentary recommendation and a presidential decree.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the Chief of the House of Representatives and the Chairman of the Third Commission and urge them to immediately address this issue. The parliament must revoke its 2001 recommendation urgently, and call for the establishment of an ad hoc human rights court to provide justice in this case.

 

 

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