Fikri Arigi, Rosseno Aji, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud Md, ensured that there will be discussion on the efforts to settle past human rights issues.

"[It] will be discussed. Efforts to settle past human rights [issues] has been discussed," Mahfud said in his office on Jalan Medan merdeka Barat on Friday, October 25, 2019.

Mahfud mentioned that the resolution of human rights issues has been the main discussion and agenda of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs. However, he said that resolving human rights issues cannot be interpreted as it will be finished like most people perceived.

"If it is resolved, there will be people who disagree, and then considered it not finished, that is not statesmanship. That is the way of thugs," Mahfud said.

Mahfud explained that presently, he is in the process of collecting information. However, he admitted that he is yet to enter specific agendas, such as human rights violation, law enforcement, deradicalization, and others.

Mahfud stated that he had invited all Echelon I officials of the Coordinating Ministry of Politics, Legal, and Security Affairs to provide a briefing, which will enable him to have a better understanding of the problems faced by each of his deputy. Mahfud also said that he had much discussion with Secretary to the Coordinating Minister and have started to identify problems.

"We have not coordinated with the technical department. My target is one week of knowing the profile and anatomy of the Coordinating Ministry of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs," Mahfud stated.

A number of human rights activists previously expressed their pessimism against Mahfud's ability to resolve past human rights violations. They claimed that Mahufd will not be able to resolve the issues without the support of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

"We appreciated Prof. Mahfud's statement, but one Mahfud will not mean anything if Pak Jokowi does not conditioned all of his cabinet for that purpose," said Chief of Advocacy of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation M. Isnur on Thursday, October 24, 2019.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1264759/mahfud-md-to-discuss-resolution-of-past-human-rights-cases