Weekly Update Human Rights in Indonesia – 24-03-2014 Tumbu went on to say the government should Impunity improve its weak track record by enhancing protection for Indonesians abroad, who are mostly In the documentary film “The Act of Killing” the uneducated domestic workers. role of the Pemuda Pancasila (Pancasila Youth) in 1965 is explored. We received a photograph of the Similarly, the Indonesian Migrant Workers Pemuda Pancasila in March 2014 in Bantul, South Association (ATKI) criticized the government, of Yogyakarta, active in an election campaign, saying despite Manpower and Transmigration here, considering the yellow colour, for Golkar. Old Ministry efforts to develop a placement and friends, new uniforms? protection system and a 400-hour skills training program, migrant workers did not receive enough official support. ATKI member Karsiwen, who is in charge of advocacy in Sartinah’s case, said that most migrant workers had no knowledge of transmigration laws and were not given comprehensive protection by the government. Meanwhile, Nelson Simamora, a public advocate from the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta), said that the government provided next to nothing in terms of legal aid. And with the current weak government policy, Nelson said there would be ©Stefan Körperl dire consequences for future cases. Women’s rights “There will be another 1,000 Indonesian migrant workers executed next year if there is no change,” SBY urged to intervene to stop Nelson told The Jakarta Post. beheading Satinah had confessed to the murder of her employer, Nura Al-Gharib, in Gaseem, Saudi Kompas 24-03-2014 Arabia, and the theft of 37,970 riyals (US$10,120), With less than two weeks before an Indonesian in June 2007. She was sentenced to be executed in migrant worker is beheaded in Saudi Arabia, 2010, but after appealing her sentence in 2009, the various organizations have called on President date was pushed back to April 3, 2014. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to intervene in the Satinah would be absolved if the Indonesian case. government paid 7 million riyals for diyat (financial “We urge the president to directly intervene and retribution to a victim’s kin), which is equal to Rp save Satinah [binti Jumadi Ahmad] from the death 22.5 billion, surpassing the last diyat reportedly penalty,” Tumbu Saraswati of the Commission on paid in a similar case. Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan) So far, 4 million riyals have been raised from said on Sunday, referring to the Semarang, Central allocated state funds, donors and charities to save Java, native on death row in Saudi Arabia. Satinah from death by beheading. Satinah’s family This Amnesty International Netherlands clipping service is made for Amnesty members and others interested in the human rights developments in Indonesia – for information only – not to be quoted as Amnesty information – for more information or to be included in or deleted from the mailing list, write to [email protected] . For back issues view http://www.marthameijer.org/page36.php 1 Weekly Update Human Rights in Indonesia – 24-03-2014 has also made efforts to communicate with the ”During this monitoring we found data and victim’s family to plea for clemency. information that the plan for the investment may form human rights violations, especially the rights In July 2011, Darsem binti Daud from Subang, West of the communities to use the land (hak ulayat) Java, was freed by paying 2 million riyals, the and the right to a clean and healthy environment,” highest request at the time. Hafidz bin Kholil Sulam she said. She asked that the permit to turn the from Sampang, East Java, was released after forest into a plantation area by the Ministry of paying 400,000 riyals to the family of his own Forestry to be halted. The forest cannot yet be uncle, whom he killed in 2009. Banayah binti decided to be “state forest”, so that the Ministry of Banhawi Sawawi of Tangerang, Banten, was also Forestry as yet has no authority to issue the absolved after paying diyat of 55,000 riyals. permit. The area still is the property of the traditional community (masyarakat adat). Similarly, Ahmad Fauzi bin Abu Hasan from Bangkalan, East Java, was released in July 2011 Additionally to the possible violation of the users’ after paying 46,000 riyals in compensation for rights, the plantation may also damage the killing a fellow Indonesian migrant worker, Tarino environment. An environmental impact bin Rakisan Robayi from Lamongan, East Java, in assessment has only been carried out with regard October 2008. to the local area. Also the impact of the industry should have been assessed. The plantation is Last month, the governments of Indonesia and planned to cover an area of nearly half a million Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum of hectares on the biggest islands of Aru Islands, understanding (MoU) to provide better working Wokam, Kobroor, Kola, Maikoor, Trangan, dan conditions for Indonesian workers in the Kingdom. Koba. The whole area of the Aru Islands is only 626,900 hectares. Land Rights The Governor of the province Maluku, Said Assegaf Human rights violations may be has promised to reconsider the concession. “If it is in the interest of the people, we will certainly occurring in Aru Islands support that,” he said. Kompas, 19-03-2014 Elections The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has identified possible human rights violations in an investment for sugar plantations by Human rights is the issue a group of domestic investors in Aru Islands Kompas, 24-03-2014 (Maluku). Therefore all the steps in the process of land acquiring have to be reconsidered. This was A number of civil society organisations have expressed by the member of Komnas HAM, Sandra started a coalition stressing the importance of Moniaga. During four days in March the Komnas human rights in the elections. It runs a special HAM has carried out and intense monitoring, website www.bersih2014.net that gives following strong opposition by the local inhabitants information on parliamentary candidates who are against the capital investment in a sugar clean, under the heading: “Don’t let your rights be plantations in Aru Islands. managed by to someone who violates rights.” This Amnesty International Netherlands clipping service is made for Amnesty members and others interested in the human rights developments in Indonesia – for information only – not to be quoted as Amnesty information – for more information or to be included in or deleted from the mailing list, write to [email protected] . For back issues view http://www.marthameijer.org/page36.php 2 Weekly Update Human Rights in Indonesia – 24-03-2014 Gerindra has expressed its wish to “complete” the governor’s nomination on Friday, providing PDI-P’s human rights law (Law 39/1999) because it now is political opponents with a reason to question the too much influenced by foreign ideas. Next to integrity of the party and its leader. rights it should also contain obligations. The document, a copy of which was obtained by The new party NasDem said it will take human The Jakarta Post, contains seven articles and was rights as their compass in all policy measures. It is signed by Megawati and Prabowo on May 16, not only a regulation, but a perspective and a way 2009, the day they registered with the General of life, its representative said. The party explicitly Elections Commission (KPU) as presidential and supports efforts of victims to resolve earlier human vice presidential candidates for the 2009 rights violations. presidential election. The Golkar representative said that Golkar will Two articles, for example, stipulate that should respect human rights at all times. In Golkar’s vision Megawati and Prabowo win the 2009 election, the paper “Indonesia 2045” human rights are included, latter will be assigned to handle the country’s but the most important is the economy. economic policies and granted a right to handpick related ministers, including agriculture minister, The smaller party Partai Keadilan dan Persatuan finance minister and energy and mineral resources Indonesia (Justice and Unity Party) said that social minister. justice is at the base of human rights. “Corruptors have a right to life like anybody else, but stealing The last article, considered the most crucial point, from the national budget is in fact stealing from mentions Megawati will “support the nomination the people and legitimizes the death penalty”. of Prabowo Subianto as a presidential candidate in the 2014 presidential election”. Prabowo is The Hanura Party will combat corruption as a way considered the most popular presidential of promoting human rights. The Islamic Partai candidate if Jokowi is taken out of the equation, Bulan Bintang, PBB, considers human rights as a according to various political surveys. necessary element of legal security for all civilians. “Perpetrators have to be punished.” Further reading: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/03/16 Broken promises /mega-s-broken-promises-leaked.html Jakarta Post, 17-03-2014 Violence in Aceh It appears that presidential hopeful Prabowo Jakarta Globe, 18-03-2014 Subianto has all the reason to resent the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)’s One of the participants in an attack on a National surprise decision to nominate the wildly popular Democrat Party (NasDem) campaign office in Joko “Jokowi” Widodo as its presidential Munyee Kunyet village, North Aceh in February candidate. was a former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) combatant, police said on Tuesday. A document outlining the