Komnas HAM Demands Wiranto Replacement

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Commissioner of the National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM) Choirul Anam, requested President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to appoint a replacement for Wiranto as the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Menkopolhukam) from civil elements. Wiranto, is known as a former army personnel.

"If Jokowi wants to express his commitment towards democracy, then the Menkopolhukam should be from the civilian," Anam said to Tempo on Friday, September 20, 2019.

Anam explained that Menkopolhukam should be free of any track records concerning human rights violation in the past. If the track records are clean, the Menkopolhukam can pay more attention to public criticism concerning justice and fairness.

Therefore, Anam asserted that there has to be a figure that can effectively communicate with the public, able to communicate with all of the organ of the ministries, and is able to communicate strategic issues in a wide perspective to the President. "In addition, there needs to be a figure that understands international politics, human rights issues dynamics, and legal narratives.

Anam said that until the end of President Jokowi's first term of office, the President's commitment in resolving human rights violation cases is very low and unclear.

Anam also added there has been no report on the resolution of severe human rights violation. One of the cause was because the Menkopolhukam has an unclean track record.

HALIDA BUNGA