Tempo
Interactive - September 7, 2010
Rosalina,
Jakarta – A number of organisations that are part of the group Friends of Munir
held a protest action in Jakarta on September 7 demanding a full resolution to
the death of human rights activist Munir.
The
protesters, who numbered around 700, gathered in front of the State Palace
while giving speeches and holding a theatrical action complete with a human
effigy bandaged in white cloth similar to a burial shroud.
According to
action coordinator Poltak Agustinus Sinaga, the effigy symbolised the fact that
up until this day there has been no resolution for the victims of human rights
violations. "Many victims of human rights violations have died but there
has been no settlement. So we are asking for a full resolution", he said
in front of the State Palace.
The aim of
the action this afternoon, Sinaga continued, is to call on law enforcement
agencies to settle cases of human rights violations, particularly the death of
Munir. "The Munir case is now six years old but only [former Garuda
Airlines pilot] Pollycarpus [Budihari Priyanto] has been jailed. There has
clearly been collusion to ensure the case ends with Pollycarpus alone," he
said.
The protest
was joined by a number of groups including the Solidarity Action Committee for
Munir (Kasum), the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence
(Kontras), Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial), the Jakarta Legal Aid
Foundation (LBH), the Jakarta Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association
(PBHI), students and victims of human rights violations.
In addition
to the effigy wrapped in a burial shroud, a number of people also wore masks
with the faces of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Pollycarpus and former
State Intelligence Agency (BIN) Deputy Muchdi Purwopranjono.
Although the
action did not cause traffic congestion in the vicinity of the State Palace,
scores of police officers could be seen keeping watch over the protest.
[Translated
by James Balowski.]
