The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is writing to you on the occasion of the second anniversary of the murder of human rights lawyer Munir Said Thalib.
September 7, 2004 is an unforgettable day for us. It is a day that has had lasting and resounding effects on countless thousands of people not only in Indonesia but indeed throughout the whole of Asia and around the world. It is a day of permanent significance for us, and we believe, a day for recollection and reflection for you too.
Munir was an outstanding human rights defender whose courage and determination have been recognised far beyond the shores of your own country. His own perseverance in the face of abuse of power and denial of justice has since been matched by that of his widow, Suciwati, who has herself become a person of great inspiration for countless others throughout our region.
However, the importance attached to the death of Munir and the identification and prosecution of his killers has not yet been understood by your government. Although the Garuda Airline pilot found to have been directly involved in his poisoning has been sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment, how is it that no other persons have yet been identified or prosecuted? It is well recognised, even by the courts, that the pilot was not acting alone. Official and unofficial investigations alike have reached the same conclusion. And yet, only this one person has been made to take the blame for a death that was clearly the result of a large conspiracy.
On this the second anniversary of Munir’s untimely death, which we are beyond doubt was planned by state officers, the Asian Human Rights Commission has a simple request of you: come clean on what you know. We urge your government to make public all reports and findings into the murder of this man, which we expect will do much to make clear who was working with and behind the one person who has been convicted so far. Please do not be complicit in concealing the truth by keeping facts from the public view or denying that the perpetrators can be found and punished. We have no doubt that they are known to your government and the means exists to find and charge them. This must be done.
Another thing that must now be done is to offer full compensation to Munir’s family. It is extraordinary that despite this man having been poisoned on the national airline with the established involvement of a pilot working on behalf of others in the state that his wife has not yet received such an offer. The importance of reparations as a part of redress is now established in international law. We are waiting upon your government to fulfil this undeniable obligation.
The police and judiciary of Indonesia are well known to be utterly corrupt. Even by the standards of most countries in Asia, the extent of wrongdoing among your judges and law-enforcement officers is shocking. The arrest and conviction of a key person behind Munir’s death went some small way to improve perceptions and boost confidence in these institutions. However, if the masterminds are not also held to account, that much gained will soon dissipate and be replaced yet again by cynicism and demoralisation. We urge you not to allow this to happen.
The Asian Human Rights Commission earnestly hopes that on September 7 one year from now we can finally say that justice is being obtained for Munir. We earnestly hope that you will have done as we ask and have made public everything that you and your government know about his death. We also earnestly hope that you will have ensured that the family of the victim has been offered adequate compensation, in accordance with international standards, for the wrong done to them by the state.
Munir’s case will not go away until justice has been secured. That is because his story is the story of countless others throughout Indonesia and abroad. His story is the story of Somchai Neelaphaijit in Thailand. His story is the story of Gerald Perera in Sri Lanka. His wife’s story is their wives’ stories, the stories of their friends and countless others who are concerned for their human rights in Asia. In this way, Munir lives on in all of us, and all of us will continue to remember and struggle for him, as he did for us.
Yours sincerely,
Basil Fernando
Executive Director
Asian Human Rights Commission, Hong Kong
