President Reiterates Commitment On Human Rights Day

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) reiterated here on Tuesday his government's commitment to settle past human rights cases that have so far been awaited by rights activists.

"The government is committed to settle past human rights cases based on the law," he stated at the commemoration of Human Rights Day at the state palace in Yogyakarta.

The president said he has to abide by the country's 1945 Constitution that clearly states to uphold human rights as the reference in the life of the nation and state.

President Jokowi explained that gross human rights violations in the past can be settled through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which has yet to be established or through an ad hoc human rights court.

He said the implementation of human rights is not only about law enforcement but also restoring economic, social, and cultural rights, including the rights to health services and freedom of religion.

Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yosanna Laoly stated that Indonesia has always commemorated the Human Rights Day on December 10, which is the anniversary of the UN Human Rights Declaration in 1948.

He reminded that the government has included a fair settlement of past human rights cases in its nine priorities agenda "Nawa Cita."  

He noted that several recommendations of the House of Representatives' (DPR) special committee with regard to their settlement have, so far, often been hindered by the legislation process in the DPR.

He considered the judicial review process on Law of Reconciliation and Truth Commission Number 27/2004 as no longer having a binding legal power.

The event was also attended by Jimly Asshiddiqie, the chief justice of the Constitutional Court, which conducted the judicial review along with Chief of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) Hafidz Abas, and Chief of the Witness and Victim Protection Institute Abdul Harits Semendawai. (WDY)