"Mr. General promised that he would solve (the issue). It was said before Mr. Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Mahfud MD)," Head of the National Commission on Human Rights, Ahmad Taufan Damanik, stated upon being contacted here on Monday.
Damanik stated that the commission lauded General Perkasa's initiative, which was taken as a serious commitment to addressing issues that allegedly involved the national defense force's personnel.
It was suspected that the case of Langkat cages owned by the non-active Head of Langkat District, Terbit Rencana Perangin Angin, involved several people, including personnel of the police force and national defense force.
The commission had reported the case to Perkasa and Military Police Center at National Defense Force for follow up, especially pertaining to the military personnel's involvement.
Damanik opined that the general had responded to the case with determination. It was suspected that military personnel were also involved in other instances of human rights violations, such as in Papua, apart from this Langkat cage case.
He also pointed to the involvement of more than one member of the national defense force in the human cages case, but he did not disclose their names and ranks.
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Recently, the National Commission on Human Rights came across forced labour practices akin to slavery that had befallen the human cage dwellers, who were workers from Angin's palm company.
A member of the National Commission on Human Rights, Mohammad Choirul Anam, noted that the forced labour practice was identified from the lack of wages for the cage dwellers.
He also highlighted indicators that their labour was akin to slavery, one being the lack of freedom of choice, and also strong control by people outside the cages.
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Translator: M Zulfikar, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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