F

ormer members of the Fajar Nusantara Movement (Gafatar) have long ceased association with the organization outlawed by the government, however, they are still finding it difficult to obtain official documents that should be of no problem for citizens of the country.

They demand the government take measures to prevent discrimination against them and be treated equally as other citizens.

“We want the government to fulfill its promise in upholding our treatment as equal citizens without discrimination,” former Gafatar member Harmanto, 43, said at a recent press conference.

Hundreds of former Gafatar members in Surakarta, Central Java, after dumping the organization went on to establish the Independent Farmers Victims of Eviction Communication Forum (FKKP2M).

However, the local administration, including neighborhood/community units (RT/RW) have been reluctant to assist them with obtaining official documentation.

Harmanto emphasized that the administrative process at the neighborhood, subdistrict and district level was being made more complicated for ex-Gafatar members when applying for residential documents.

A number of former Gafatar members were also forced to go to different office units when obtaining an identity card.

The Home Ministry in November 2012 issued a letter banning Gafatar after learning that several people who were reported missing by their family members had in fact joined the organization.

The organization recruited members and brought them to areas in West Kalimantan.

They chosed to move to West Kalimantan because the province would be made the capital city of their new state.

Meanwhile, Badrus Zaman, the lawayer for ex-Gafatar members, urged Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo to quickly resolve the issues experienced by former Gafatar members. According to him, in accordance with Article 28 of the 1945 Constitution, the government must protect, promote and fulfill the human rights of its citizens.

Badrus added that the constitution also asserted that each person was entitled to worship his or her chosen religion, having a profession, citizenship, a home, and the right to leave and return to the country.

“Every citizen has the right to be protected, including his or her family, and given the honor and dignity, including former members of Gafatar, without exception,” he said.

Badrus added that he, through the Surakarta chapter of the Indonesian Advocates Association (Peradi) provided legal aid to dozens of former Gafatar members living in Surakarta. The legal assistance given involved property rights and official documentation, such as ownership certificates and identity cards.

“The former Gafatar members demand certainty from the government regarding their futures. The Gafatar movement has been disbanded and all its members have been forcibly returned to their places of origin. Returned they have, but to this day their fates still have not been properly taken care of,” said Badrus.

During their stay in Kalimantan, he went on, the former Gafatar members were surviving off their own funds. Most of them even had to sell property to live and work there.

“In Kalimantan, they bought land from the local community. They then became engaged in farming, but before they were able to harvest, they were forcibly relocated by the government,” said Badrus.

Badrus also said many assets owned by the former Gafatar members from Surakarta were left behind in Kalimantan, including at least 120 motorcycles, four cars and hundreds of hectares of land.