Tribunnews.com
- September 5, 2010
Alie Usman,
Jakarta – Scores of social and non-government organisations that are part of
the Friends of Munir movement gathered today to commemorate six years since
Munir's death, a human rights activists killed mysteriously on his way to
continue studies in the Netherlands six years ago.
As well as
holding joint prayers, the Friends of Munir also issued a statement on the slow
pace of law enforcement agencies in handing the murder.
The group
believes that over the last two years the government has ignored the Munir
murder as well as other human rights cases. Moreover there is a sense that the
Munir case is gradually starting to be buried and left behind.
Solidarity
Action Committee for Munir (Kasum) Executive Secretary Choirul Anam said that
over the last few years the government has done almost nothing to resolve the
Munir case. Law enforcement agencies have failed to fulfill the public's hope
for justice as one of the principles of a constitutional state.
"We
have seen over the last few years that the Munir case has been systematically
weakened and neglected. It is as if Munir's death has simply evaporated just
like that. This is the serious problem currently being faced. The neglect of
the Munir case is one among many instances of human rights cases being ignored.
This is clearly a gross violation", said Anam at the offices of the
Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) on Sunday
September 5.
As well as
questioning what follow up efforts are being made in the case, the Friends of
Munir are also urging the government, particularly President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono, to provide justice and fully resolve Munir's murder and other human
rights cases.
In addition
to this, they are also demanding that the government immediately arrest the
intellectual actors behind Munir's murder in addition to [former State Intelligence
Agency deputy] Muchdi Purwopranjono. This momentum should also be used to call
on the government to declare September 7 [the anniversary of Munir's murder] as
Human Rights Defenders Day.
[Translated
by James Balowski.]
