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Human Rights in Indonesia: Between Universal and National, Between State and Society

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 July 2009

S. Pompe
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Extract

There can be no doubt that the varied and complex Indonesian legal scene over the past year or so was dominated by the single issue of human rights. For the Indonesian government of course, East Timor amongst so many other matters ensures that human rights have dominated its long string of worrying beads for decades. Nevertheless, from about May 1993 onwards, a series of events conspired to confront broad sections of the Indonesian public with the issue of human rights in a way so real, tangible and urgent, that much of the news has been dominated by it to the present date. The resulting mobilisation of Indonesian public opinion forced the Indonesian government to come out in the open on human rights in a way it might have preferred to prevent.

Type
Current Legal Developments
Information
Leiden Journal of International Law , Volume 7 , Issue 2 , Autumn 1994 , pp. 85 - 98
Copyright
Copyright © Foundation of the Leiden Journal of International Law 1994

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References

1 See for instance, T. Mulya Lubis, In Search of Human Rights: Legal Political Dilemmas of Indonesia's New Order 1966–1990 (1990); Lubis, T. Mulya, Human Rights Standard Setting in Asia: Problems and Prospects, 21 The Indonesian Quarterly 25–37 (1993).Google Scholar

2 J.H.A. Logemann, Nieuwe Gegevens Over het Ontstaan van de Grondwet van 1945 (Mededelingen van de Koninklijke Nederlandse Academie van Wetenschappen No.25, 691–712, 1959). S. Pompe, Indonesian Law 1949–1989, at 95–97 (1992).

3 For the Canadian perspective sympathetic to the Indonesian government stance on human rights see for instance: Dagg, C.L., Human Rights and Aid: A Canadian Perspective, 21 The Indonesian Quarterly 38–48 (1993).Google Scholar

4 Forum Keadilan, February 18, 1994.

5 Kompas, January 17, 1994.

6 Fonim Keadilan, February 18, 1994. Mulya said that this was a mere matter of updating.

7 Sud-Ost Asien Aktuell, May 1993, at 166–167. Antara, April 1, 1993. It is to be noted however, that following strong NGO and government pressures, the ASEAN countries did not object against the Final Declaration of the Vienna Conference which upheld the universalist standpoint.

8 Sud-Ost Asien Aktuell, September 1993, at 311. Antara, August 11, 1993.

9 See generally Wanandi, J., Human Rights and Democracy in the ASEAN Nations: The Next 25 Years, 21 The Indonesian Quarterly 14–24 (1993).Google Scholar

10 Forum Keadilan, January 20, 1994.

11 Presidential Decision Nr. 123/1963.

12 S. Adiwinata, J. Katz, and R. Katz and Labor Law 64 (1974).

13 Inside Indonesia, September 1993, at 13.

14 Tempo, February 19, 1994.

15 NRC Handelsblad, April 30, 1994.

16 Forum Keadilan, September 16, 1993 gives a number of striking examples from Medan through to the Jakarta area (Jabotabek) and Tangerang.

17 NRC Handelsblad, April 30, 1994.

18 Forum Keadilan, September 16, 1993. NRC Handelsblad, April 30, 1994.

19 Sud-Ost Asien Aktuell, April 1994.

20 Forum Keadilan, November 11, 1993.

21 Presidential Decree Nr.50/1993.

22 Forum Keadilan, July 8, 1993.

23 Id.

24 Id.

25 Forum Keadilan, December 23, 1994. In Forum Keadilan, February 17, 1994, Adnan Buyung Nasution dismisses the Commission as being essentially bureaucratic minded with strong government loyalties, though he acknowledges that some members, such as Secretary-General Lopa, or university Professor Muladi, may be more independent-minded than others.

26 Id., February 17, 1994.

27 Id., March 3, 1994.

28 Id., February 17, 1994.

29 Id., July 8, 1993. Inside Indonesia, September 1993. Forum Keadilan, September 16. 1993. Jakarta Post, December 8, 1993. Tempo, February 19, 1994. Tempo, March 5, 1994. Tempo, March 26, 1994. Amnesty International Bulletin April 1994.

30 Tempo, March 5, 1994. Media Indonesia, March 5, 1994. Forum Keadilan, November 11, 1993 reveals that the BAP had been signed two weeks after the date at the head of the document. It transpires from the same journal that Chief Public Prosecutor Singgih acknowledges that mistakes have been made.

31 Fomm Keadilan, March 3, 1994.

32 Kompas, March 21, 1994 describes how the judge leads an utterly confused suspect Khusiri to make his statements fit the BAP.

33 Kompas, February 26, 1994. Forum Keadilan, March 3, 1991. Tempo, March 5, 1994. Suara Pembaruan, March 19, 1994. Kompas, March 25, 1994. Forum Keadilan March 31, 1994.

34 Reports on roughing up by military intelligence from the East Java Brawijaya division: Forum Keadilan, November 11, 1993. Tempo, February 26, 1994 where it is stated that even high military officials were present. Tempo, March 5, 1994, Media Indonesia, March 5, 1994. Kompas, February 26, 1994. Forum Keadilan, March 3,1994. Kompas, March 8,1994. Forum Keadilan, March 31,1994, all with various details of torture.

35 Bisnis Indonesia, March 5, 1994.

36 Kompas, March 4, 1994. Kompas, March 5, 1994. Bisnis Indonesia, March 5, 1994. Tempo, March 5, 1994. Media Indonesia. March 5, 1994. Kompas, March 8, 1994.

37 Forum Keadilan, March 31, 1994.

38 On March 9, Supreme Court Chairman Purwoto said that the BAP could be nullified at the request of the suspects. Media Indonesia, March 9, 1994. Sinar Pagi, March 9, 1994. In fact, this is what was requested, but the request had been turned down by the Court. Kompas, March 26, 1994. Terbit, March 21, 1994. Bisnis Indonesia, March 22, 1994. Media Indonesia, March 23, 1994. Kompas, March 22, 1994.

39 Kompas, March 23, 1994. Media Indonesia, March 23, 1994. Here, the National Human Rights Committee member Muladi calls for the annulment of the BAP.

40 Jakarta, March 23, 1994.

41 Supreme Court judge Adi Andoyo, March 19, 1994. Professor Sahetapy Bisnis Indonesia, March 22, 1994. Himawan Kompas, March 25, 1994. Sahetapy plays it both ends, as the day before he argued that the Supreme Court could in fact intervene on grounds of its supervisory function. Kompas, March 21, 1994.

42 Merdeka, February 19, 1994.

43 Id.

44 Kompas, March 5, 1994

45 Bisnis Indonesia, March 5, 1994. Contact is established in the course of March 1994 with Chief of Staff Faisal Tanjung and with Regional Brawijaya Commander Haris Sudamo. Forum Keadilan, March 31, 1994.

46 Berita Yudha, March 4, 1994.

47 Merdeka, March 4, 1994.

48 Bisnis Indonesia, March 5, 1994. Bisnis Indonesia, March 7, 1994.

49 Bisnis Indonesia, March 7, 1994.

50 Pelita, March 8, 1994. Kompas, March 8, 1994. Kompas, March 10, 1994.

51 SinarPagi, March 9, 1994. Kompas, March 10, 1994. Pelita, March 10, 1994. Jakarta, March 10, 1994.

52 Kompas, March 25, 1994. Media Indonesia, March 23, 1994.

53 Kompas, March 9, 1994.

54 Media Indonesia, March 23, 1994.

55 Id.

56 Kompas, March 25, 1994.

57 Media Indonesia, March 23, 1994.

58 Kompas, March 25, 1994.

59 Id.

60 Forum Keadilan, April 14, 1994.

61 Editor, April 14, 1994.

62 NRC Handelsblad, April 8, 1994.

63 Id.

64 Kompas, April 6, 1994. NRC Handelsblad, 8 April, 1994.