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Activists give thumbs down to Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin for Jakarta election
Human rights activists have voiced opposition to the possible nomination of Gen. (ret) Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin by the Gerindra Party for the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election on the back of his alleged involvement in past human rights abuses.
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Former deputy defense minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin in this undated file photo. Sjafrie is being eyed as a contender in the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election by the Gerindra Party. (Kompas/Banar Fil Ardhi)
H
uman rights activists have voiced opposition to the possible nomination of Gen. (ret.) Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin by the Gerindra Party for the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election on the back of his alleged involvement in past human rights abuses.
Someone linked to past human rights abuses does not deserve to be a public official, especially Jakarta governor, Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) coordinator Haris Azhar said on Tuesday.
Sjafrie failed to maintain security in the capital during May 1998 riots when he was the Jakarta Military commander. Incidents prior to the fall of the late dictator Soeharto in May 1998 also included the abduction of activists, the shooting deaths of Trisakti students and riots, which, according to Haris, Sjafrie had failed to anticipate and handle.
“When he was the Jakarta Military commander, he failed to maintain security in the capital. What if he becomes governor?” Haris told thejakartapost.com on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, human rights activist Mugiyanto, who was detained at the time of the 1998 riots, claimed that he was taken to the Jakarta Military Command to be interrogated.
He said Sjafrie, a former deputy defense minister under president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, was still burdened by the past, just like Gerindra chief patron Prabowo Subianto, who also has been linked to several human rights violations.
“I hope Jakartans will not forget about the 1998 incident. During the incident, he [Sjafrie] was responsible for securing the capital but he didn’t do his duty well,” Mugiyanto said.
Sjafrie has been named as being among the top three potential governor candidates supported by Gerindra to run in next year's regional election. The other two are businessman Sandiaga Uno and former legal and human rights minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra.
Gerindra politician Habiburokhman denied the allegations and instead lauded Sjafrie as a prominent military figure who had forged close relations with the public.
He also said that Sjafrie had performed well during the 1998 riots by maintaining security and preventing more mayhem.
“He was admired by the public for his good looks and performance while serving as the Jakarta Military commander],” he said on Monday.
Sjafrie was cleared of all allegations of human rights abuses during the 1998 violence.
Gerindra deputy chairman Arief Pouyono confirmed the news of Prabowo's decision to handpick Sjafrie to run as a candidate for the capital's top post, even though no formal announcement has been made. The party feels Sjafrie's vast experience would be an advantage in leading the capital as well as his polite manner, he said as reported by kompas.com.(rin)
