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Ada Pertanyaan? Hubungi Kami Ari Pramuditya, Ali Salmande
Proceeding during the International People's Tribunal 1965. Photo by: ALI
The panel of judges presiding over the International People’s Tribunal 1965 (“1965 Tribunal”) has issued a verdict stating that crimes against humanity were committed in Indonesia during the events of 1965. This conclusion was delivered at a temporary-decision hearing (putusan sela) which was held at The Hague in The Netherlands on Friday, 13 November 2015.
This temporary decision and its recommendations were made after a number of witnesses had been heard by the court and various pieces of evidence had also been presented over the course of the 1965 Tribunal’s four days.
In its verdict, the panel of judges, which was led by former South African Constitutional Court judge, Zak Yacoob, recommended that the Indonesian Government immediately resolve issues relating to the events of 1965. The judges also noted that Indonesia’s National Commission on Human Rights (“Komnas HAM”) had completed its report into the alleged crimes against humanity that took place during this period all the way back in 2012.
“The Indonesian Government has already received a number of recommendations from Komnas HAM which they have basically ignored. However they should be implemented immediately,” explained Mr. Yacoob during his temporary-decision summation.
The panel of judges also explained that it had yet to come to a final decision regarding the events of 1965. “We still need more time to come to a final decision,” explained Yacoob.
After the verdict had been delivered, Saskia Wieringa, a member of the 1965 Tribunal’s organizing committee, expressed her satisfaction with the temporary decision. “The panel of judges has clearly stated that these were crimes against humanity. These crimes really happened and are not just the baseless allegations of human rights activists,” declared Ms. Wieringa.
Ms. Wieringa further stated that the temporary decision was made with full reference to evidence and witnesses. “They asked us to explain what a crime against humanity was before they appraised the evidence and the witnesses. We have received a lot of support. It has been an incredible experience for me.”
Historic Milestone
Prominent Indonesian human-rights lawyer, Todung Mulya Lubis, Chairman of the Public Prosecutor at the 1965 Tribunal, declared that this temporary decision was a historic milestone which had finally revealed the truth after 50 years of waiting.
“It is hard for me to express my feelings. This is the moment of truth,” said Mr. Lubis.
Mr. Lubis also explained that he realized that the verdict issued by the panel of judges did not represent any final decision, and that the judges would need considerably longer to fully deliberate the events of 1965. He, however, hoped that there would be a way of obtaining justice for the victims in the near future. Furthermore, Mr. Lubis praised the judges for declaring that crimes against humanity had been perpetrated in Indonesia during 1965.
“This verdict is also in line with the findings of Komnas Ham. This is indeed a historic moment and a milestone in our struggle to find the truth,” he concluded.
Prior to the verdict being issued, Vice President Jusuf Kalla asserted that the Indonesian government did not need to make any official statement regarding the 1965 Tribunal.
“That is not a real court. If it were a real court, then the process would take years,” Vice President Kalla declared on Wednesday, 11 November 2015.
According to the Vice President, if the international community wants to seriously investigate the events of 1965, then it should also investigate other crimes which were carried out by a number of western countries during various twentieth-century wars.
“If this is what western countries want, then we will also make a similar court here. More citizens were killed during war time,” Kalla stated.
The 1965 Tribunal ran from Tuesday, 10 November 2015 until Friday, 13 November 2015 in The Hague. The public prosecutor in the case indicted Indonesia for a total of nine crimes relating to the events of 1965, including murder, enslavement, imprisonment, torture, sexual violence, forced disappearance, and prosecution through propaganda.
(sp)
Ari Pramuditya, Ali Salmande
Proceeding during the International People's Tribunal 1965. Photo by: ALI
The panel of judges presiding over the International People’s Tribunal 1965 (“1965 Tribunal”) has issued a verdict stating that crimes against humanity were committed in Indonesia during the events of 1965. This conclusion was delivered at a temporary-decision hearing (putusan sela) which was held at The Hague in The Netherlands on Friday, 13 November 2015.
This temporary decision and its recommendations were made after a number of witnesses had been heard by the court and various pieces of evidence had also been presented over the course of the 1965 Tribunal’s four days.
In its verdict, the panel of judges, which was led by former South African Constitutional Court judge, Zak Yacoob, recommended that the Indonesian Government immediately resolve issues relating to the events of 1965. The judges also noted that Indonesia’s National Commission on Human Rights (“Komnas HAM”) had completed its report into the alleged crimes against humanity that took place during this period all the way back in 2012.
“The Indonesian Government has already received a number of recommendations from Komnas HAM which they have basically ignored. However they should be implemented immediately,” explained Mr. Yacoob during his temporary-decision summation.
The panel of judges also explained that it had yet to come to a final decision regarding the events of 1965. “We still need more time to come to a final decision,” explained Yacoob.
After the verdict had been delivered, Saskia Wieringa, a member of the 1965 Tribunal’s organizing committee, expressed her satisfaction with the temporary decision. “The panel of judges has clearly stated that these were crimes against humanity. These crimes really happened and are not just the baseless allegations of human rights activists,” declared Ms. Wieringa.
Ms. Wieringa further stated that the temporary decision was made with full reference to evidence and witnesses. “They asked us to explain what a crime against humanity was before they appraised the evidence and the witnesses. We have received a lot of support. It has been an incredible experience for me.”
Historic Milestone
Prominent Indonesian human-rights lawyer, Todung Mulya Lubis, Chairman of the Public Prosecutor at the 1965 Tribunal, declared that this temporary decision was a historic milestone which had finally revealed the truth after 50 years of waiting.
“It is hard for me to express my feelings. This is the moment of truth,” said Mr. Lubis.
Mr. Lubis also explained that he realized that the verdict issued by the panel of judges did not represent any final decision, and that the judges would need considerably longer to fully deliberate the events of 1965. He, however, hoped that there would be a way of obtaining justice for the victims in the near future. Furthermore, Mr. Lubis praised the judges for declaring that crimes against humanity had been perpetrated in Indonesia during 1965.
“This verdict is also in line with the findings of Komnas Ham. This is indeed a historic moment and a milestone in our struggle to find the truth,” he concluded.
Prior to the verdict being issued, Vice President Jusuf Kalla asserted that the Indonesian government did not need to make any official statement regarding the 1965 Tribunal.
“That is not a real court. If it were a real court, then the process would take years,” Vice President Kalla declared on Wednesday, 11 November 2015.
According to the Vice President, if the international community wants to seriously investigate the events of 1965, then it should also investigate other crimes which were carried out by a number of western countries during various twentieth-century wars.
“If this is what western countries want, then we will also make a similar court here. More citizens were killed during war time,” Kalla stated.
The 1965 Tribunal ran from Tuesday, 10 November 2015 until Friday, 13 November 2015 in The Hague. The public prosecutor in the case indicted Indonesia for a total of nine crimes relating to the events of 1965, including murder, enslavement, imprisonment, torture, sexual violence, forced disappearance, and prosecution through propaganda.
(sp)