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Rights groups call for Komnas HAM reform
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National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) chairman M. Imdadun Rahmat (third from left) and religion and faith freedom desk coordinator Jayadi Damanik (second from right) speak at a press conference in Jakarta on Thursday. (JP/Viriya Paramita Singgih)
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number of human rights groups have called for reform of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) after reports showed that the state-sponsored human rights body had shown "little" progress in investigating past rights abuses.
Speaking in a press conference on Sunday, the groups, under the Coalition to Save Komnas HAM, said some cases being investigated by the commission had been left unresolved despite it having been given substantial authority by the state to investigate human rights abuse cases.
For example, investigations into alleged rights abuse by the police and the military in Wasior, Wamena, Papua in 2001 showed improper handling by the commission as some documents relating to victims and witnesses had vanished.
"[Many] investigations conducted by Komnas HAM have failed," said Asfinawati, the chairwoman of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute Foundation (YLBHI), which is part of the coalition.
(Read also: Komnas HAM commissioner selection eliminates group representation)
Besides failure to complete investigations of past rights abuses, the groups also showed some alleged irregularities regarding the commission's financial report in 2015, as uncovered by the Supreme Audit Council (BPK) past year.
The groups said in its press release that according to the BPK report, there were at least eight indications of financial irregularities regarding the commission's 2015 financial report. One of the irregularities was an indication of fictive procurements totaling Rp 820.25 million (US$61,506) in the commission's report, the groups said. (wit)
