Today, 17 July 2007, international communities who always strive for justice and fight against impunity celebrate the World Day for International Justice. The communities that consist of victims, human rights defenders and countries that care about this commemorate the adoption of the Rome Statute – ICC which symbolizes the establishment of an independent legal institution legitimized to preside over cases of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression. The establishment of the ICC was noted in history as the milestone against impunity and for enforcing the rights of victims of human rights violations. Currently, more than 100 countries have signed the Rome Statute as the materialization of their commitment to struggle to enforce justice and victim’s rights.
The commemoration of the World Day for International Justice this year is very important for Asian countries, especially Indonesia. The demand of victim communities throughout Asia “to urge the Asian governments to become state parties” has expanded the battlefield against impunity. In the Indonesian context, where the impunity wall is still very thick, hampering the achievement of justice, the ratification and implementation of Rome Statute – ICC in the national legal system has been an urgent need.
Victim communities, human rights defenders and international communities, particularly Embassy of Switzerland and Embassy of Canada, support of the Indonesian government to ratify the ICC in 2008 is an early step that is positive for human rights enforcement in Indonesia. However, such efforts still need the government’s consistency and total reformation in regard with the human rights enforcement in Indonesia. Ratification and implementation of the ICC should also be followed with several changes in the national legal system to guarantee justice enforcement and the fulfillment of victim’s rights. For Indonesian people, the ratification and implementation of the ICC has been needed to avoid the repetition of crime or human rights atrocities in the future.
Along with the spirit and solidarity among victims and global citizens in fighting against impunity and achieving justice, we urge the Indonesian government to ratify the ICC and deliver justice for the victims.
In Solidarity with Victims against Impunity!
Jakarta, 17 July 2007
H. E. Bernardino Regazzoni (Switzerland ambassador for Indonesia)
H. E. John T. Holmes (Canadian Ambassador for Indonesia)
I Gusti Agung Putri Astrid Kartika, MA (Executive Director of ELSAM)
Mugiyanto (Chair of IKOHI/President of AFAD/Survivor of Enforced Disappearances)
