The Attorney General’s Office will continue to conduct the investigations to ensure law enforcement and realization of justice.Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has expressed firm belief that all citizens are equal before the law and in politics while commemorating International Human Rights Day at the State Palace, here, on Friday.
"Securing civil, political, and legal rights must be our common concern. The state must protect all citizens equally without any discrimination against ethnicity, religion, gender, or race," he affirmed.
In addition, the president noted that all citizens have the right to be served by the state as well as to get jobs and have a decent living.
Jokowi highlighted that the government had guaranteed the people’s political and legal rights through several regulations, including Presidential Regulation Number 53 of 2021 on the National Action Plan on Human Rights for 2021-2025 ratified on June 8, 2021.
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Its main target was fulfilling the human rights of vulnerable groups: women, children, indigenous community, and people with disabilities.
The president spoke of having inaugurated the National Committee for Disabilities last week.
"Establishment of the committee shows our commitment to ensuring the fulfilment of the rights of disabled people as an implementation of the Convention of The Right of Persons with Disabilities," he said.
Furthermore, Jokowi stated that the government was also committed to addressing gross violations of human rights by implementing the principle of fairness for both the victims and perpetrators.
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"After ratifying Law Number 26 of 2000 on the Human Rights Judiciary, the Attorney General’s Office has conducted general investigations on several alleged gross human rights violations, for instance, the Paniai incident that took place in Papua Province in 2014," he remarked.
Jokowi noted that the Attorney General’s Office had conducted an investigation on the incident based on a prior examination by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).
"The Attorney General’s Office will continue to conduct investigations to ensure law enforcement and realization of justice," he added.
The Paniai incident was a riot erupting between local military personnel and communities on December 7-8, 2014. It claimed four lives and seriously injured 21 people on account of the persecution.
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In connection with the incident, Komnas HAM had investigated 26 witnesses; examined the crime scene in Enarotali Sub-district, Paniai District, Papua Province; inspected related documents; and held discussions with experts.
Hence, the committee determined the Paniai incident as a gross human rights violation on February 3, 2020.
The reports and conclusion of the investigation were submitted to the Attorney General’s Office on February 11, 2020.
However, the files were returned by the office on March 19, 2020, as they failed to cover the formal and material aspects.
On April 14, 2020, the commission sent the files again to the Attorney General’s Office. The office returned the files for the second time on May 20, 2020, based on the same reason.
Through the Attorney General’s Decree Number 267 of 2021, dated December 3, 2021, the office had established an Investigating Team for Alleged Gross Human Rights Violations in Paniai.
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Translator: Desca Natalia, Uyu Liman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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