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President Prabowo's human rights settlement agenda
Agrarian conflicts should be handled through a genuine agrarian reform agenda because they are the largest source of conflict, and some are caused by the expansion of national strategic projects.
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Perseverance: Human rights activists and families of victims of atrocities gather on Oct.3 outside the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta for a rally to demand settlement of past human rights violations. It was the 834th rally they had organized every Thursday, but their demands have fallen on deaf ears. (Antara/Rivan Awal Lingga)
T
he promotion and enforcement of human rights during a decade of former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s administration was marked by regression and stagnation in several areas. Given President Prabowo Subianto's promise of continuity, and his human rights track record, the public has a reason to question his commitment to improving the promotion of human rights during his tenure.
The realization of the state obligation to resolve 12 cases of alleged gross violations of human rights went nowhere under Jokowi’s administration in terms of judicial mechanisms. The state must act quickly and measurably because justice delayed is justice denied.
Of the dozen gross human rights violations, only the Paniai atrocities in Papua (2014) was resolved. Meanwhile, the East Timor (1999), Tanjung Priok (1984) and Abepura, Papua (2004) cases had been settled by Jokowi’s predecessors.
Court settlement of those crimes against humanity, however, failed to fulfill the victims’ right to justice. In order to uphold justice, the gross human rights violations must be resolved so as to provide legal certainty.
As Jokowi was very popular and considered not to be burdened by the past, when he was initially elected in 2014, people, especially victims of human rights violations and human rights defenders, had very high hopes he would settle the dark past.
However, it turned out that Jokowi preferred a nonjudicial approach through the formation of a monitoring team and a nonjudicial resolution implementation team for past gross human rights violations.
Jokowi's recognition and regret for the 12 gross human rights violations should be appreciated. However, the effectiveness of the implementation team consisting of dozens of ministries and state institutions must be more measurable and transparent.
