Hestiana Dharmastuti/Fitri & GB, Jakarta 00 Coordinator of the Commission for Disappearances and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Munarman, has stated that the government's efforts to pass a new State of Emergency Bill should be dropped because Indonesia is not ready.
He further accused the Minister for Justice and Human Rights of lying because he claimed that Kontras members had helped formulate the new draft bill.
Munarman said that Indonesia was not ready for a State of Emergency Bill because the country had not fulfilled three prerequisites – one of which is that the military should not be involved in political affairs.
"The fact is our military is still involved in political affairs in Indonesia. The territorial command system has yet to be abolished," said Munarman to reporters at Kontras headquarters in Jakarta, Friday.
The second prerequisite Munarman said had not been fulfilled was that structural problems had not been resolved. For instance, he mentioned that mass labour strikes could be used by the government to apply the bill. This issue made headlines earlier in the week when a manufacturing industry leader said strikes were frightening away investors and the matter was discussed at a cabinet meting.
The last prerequisite, in Munarman's opinion, was that the state apparatus and their code of conduct was not under control, as evident in the handling of cases such as massive social and religious unrest and separatist movements in Aceh, Maluku and other regions.
"If the prerequisites are not met, whatever the name is, we will continue to reject it. Because the Emergency Bill also abolishes public control over the state apparatus and the country," added Munarman.
Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra announced yesterday that the controversial National Security Bill which was never passed by the House due to massive student and NGO demonstrations last year would be amended into a new State of Emergency Bill. Yusril seemed confident the bill would be passed on January 31 because they had addressed all objections to the original bill regarding human rights and the role of the military.
However, Munarman said that there were no substantial differences between both bills because both were the initiative of government institutions. In effect, the bill had been formulated because the state thought it necessary to have a legal instrument to defend themselves. "There are political interests within the government which have many connected interests. That is, that all parties who have power can not have their power broken through the (Emergency Law) legal instrument. And, the bill will be used as a knife to attack political enemies," said Munarman.
Munarman also predicted that the process of passing the bill would be deadlocked, similar to the case of the selection of a new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. "Because, as of now, the House of Representatives remains adamant that the original National Security bill should be passed. Now they've just talked of revising the bill. The best solution is that the House should withdraw the draft bill. Consider that it doesn't exist and also revoke Law No. 23/1959," Munarman explained.
Furthermore, Munarman lamented statements made by the Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra who mentioned Munarman two other Kontras colleagues, Munir and Apong Abdul Hakim, as contributing to the new draft bill.
"In fact, we clearly reject the bill. This just means the Minister has manipulated the facts. Yusril should immediately clarify that we didn't join in formulating the bill," Munarman said pointedly.