Kiki Safitri, Robertus Belarminus, Jakarta – Human rights activist and the wife of renowned human rights defender Munir Said Talib, Suciwati, has emphasised that despite two decades passing, there has yet to be any certainty over Munir's assassination.
"This September it (the Munir case) will be 21 years old, yesterday I WA (WhatsApped) the Komnas HAM [National Human Rights Commission] chairperson who is currently handling the pro-judicial process", said Suciwati in Jakarta on Friday August 15.
She believes that Komnas HAM should declare Miner's murder as a gross human rights violation. "I hope that the case will be stronger if we can state that the Munir case is a case gross human rights violation", she said.
"Because it's clear isn't it, it was carried out systemically. Then also there is the state institution that was linked to murder case. And there's no need for there to be a number of people involved, who are victims. But, how the state killed one of its citizens and it was systematic", she continued.
Suciwati admitted that she never had any big hopes in Komnas HAM or certain individuals, but rather in the civil society movement. "I have never put my faith in people. But, in a civil society movement that I always had hope in", she said.
She believes that society still has a critical awareness to fight for the truth, even though on the other hand it still faces slander and repression.
"They are organic and they do not need to be slandered. Yes, but slander is always there, yes. We don't want to listen because we clearly see how organic they are to fight. And declare that we must sack arrogant people, people who are tyrants", said Suciwati.
She also reminded people that the struggle to find justice should not stop even though those in power are often seen as closing their eyes.
"This is like a fire in a husk [a fire that is not visible but could burst into flames at any time]. So, if these evil rulers continue to do it, there have already been many blunders, right. So, please just make blunders and our society will increasingly deal with it", she said.
Suciwati said that the actions of civil society, such as the Kamisan actions (Thursday actions in front of the State Palace every week), remain consistent in voicing cases of human rights violations despite facing repression in various regions.
"In the Kamisan actions we have done that. In that space many things [have been taken up] and Kamisan actions have spread to almost 70 cities, they also do the same thing in every city. And they also suffer the same repression", she said.
Notes
On September 7, 2022, the Munir case reached its 18 year statute of limitations for a murder case, making it legally impossible for the state to reopen the case should it continue to treat it as an ordinary crime. Human rights groups have long been urging the Komnas HAM to declare Munir's assassination as a gross human rights violation, which has no statute of limitation. It is widely suspected that Komnas HAM is reluctant to do this because of the alleged involvement powerful figures such as former State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief HM Hendropriyono in Munir's assassination.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "21 Tahun Tanpa Kepastian, Suciwati Berharap Kematian Munir Dinyatakan Pelanggaran HAM Berat".]
