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Probe urged into police's move to break up LBH discussion
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Hundreds of people stage a protest in front of the Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI)/the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) building in Central Jakarta late on Sunday. (Antara/Muhammad Adimaja)
T
hirty pro-democracy groups in Yogyakarta have urged the National Police to take action against officers that broke up a public discussion on the 1965 communist purge at the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) in Central Jakarta.
Last Saturday, the police blocked an event that was attended by a group of scholars, activists, victims and family of victims of the 1965 communist purge, arguing that the discussion did not have a permit.
“We condemned the action. The police officers broke up the event, broke into the place with force and damaged the building. They violated the law," said LBH Yogyakarta director Hamzal Wahyudin in a joint press conference held on Monday in Yogyakarta.
The activists said the police's measures showed democracy in the country had taken a step back.
Hamzal further said holding the 1965-1966 seminar was the right of civilians, as guaranteed by the Constitution.
On the same occasion, Damairia Pakpahan of Protection Desk Indonesia said the move by the police to break up the discussion showed the police lacked understanding of human rights.
It also showed inconsistency within the government of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, she added.
Hence, the activists urged Jokowi to be consistent in his programs, particularly in resolving human rights violations, including those against the victims of the 1965 tragedy.
