FORWARDED APPEAL (Indonesia): Please urge the Government to accede the Rome Statute of the ICC 

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding an appeal issued by the Indonesian Association of Families of the Disappeared (IKOHI), the national partner of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC). Asia remains significantly under represented at the ICC with only 5 States Parties: Afghanistan, Cambodia, Mongolia, Republic of Korea and Timor Leste, while the region has been suffering from gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity. For instance, the Indonesian government has failed to render justice relating to the gross human rights violations in the past, including killings and disappearances of civilians in Trisakti and Semanggi during 1998 and 1999. No effective prosecution and punishment had been made against those responsible in any of those violations by lack of international and domestic mechanisms to deal with the matter.

Please write to the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Indonesia and demand the Indonesian government’s earliest accusation to the Rome Statute of the ICC, in order to establish the machinery to effectively deal with similar gross human rights violations taking place in the future. The sample letter is attached below.

Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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INDONESIA

Asia remains significantly under represented at the ICC with only 5 States Parties: Afghanistan, Cambodia, Mongolia, Republic of Korea and Timor Leste. Greater Asian participation is therefore crucial to ensuring that the ICC truly consolidates as a robust global international institution representing the various legal cultures around the world.

In 2004 Indonesia’s Human Rights Action Plan set 2008 as a target date for accession to the Rome Statute and civil society groups and parliamentarians have been working since then to ensure that this timeline is maintained. Indonesia’s accession is expected to generate an important effect in the region, particularly with other ASEAN States.

From May 7th to 9th, the CICC organized its 2007 Asia Regional Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia in coordination with Forum Asia and national partners IKOHI and ELSAM. More than 20 CICC members from 16 countries in Asia came together to share strategies, define targets and set campaign goals for ratification and implementation of the Rome Statute in the region. A delegation composed by several organizations participating in the strategy session met with representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Assembly and Ministry of Justice and Human Rights who all reaffirmed the government’s commitment to moving forward with the accession process.

More than half of the world has ratified the Rome Statute, which came into force in July 2002 and today counts one hundred and four states who have acceded to or ratified the treaty.

Indonesia’s accession to the treaty would strengthen Asian representation at the Court and would assist the region in gaining a stronger voice as an advocate for global justice, helping make the ICC a truly effective and international mechanism for justice and peace.

Take Action Now!

Support the CICC’s appeal by sending letters by mail or fax urging the government of Indonesia to accede the Rome Statute and implement it into national law.

Send your letter to:

H.E. Mr. Hassan Wirayuda
Foreign Minister of the Republic of Indonesia
Jl. Taman Pejambon 6, Jakarta Pusat 10110
INDONESIA
or see the following link: http://www.iccnow.org/?mod=urc0507

Your Excellency,

I am writing to you to call upon the Indonesian government to move swiftly and promptly accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. As the first permanent world court capable of trying war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, the ICC constitutes a critical development in the strengthening of human rights and the rule of law.

As you know, Asia remains underrepresented at the Court with only 5 States Parties, namely Afghanistan, Cambodia, Mongolia, Republic of Korea and Timor Leste. Greater Asian representation and participation is crucial to ensuring that the ICC truly consolidates as a robust global international institution representing the various legal cultures around the world.

I was pleased to learn of declarations made on February 9, 2007 by the Director General of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Prof. Harkristuti Harkrisnowo, announcing that the government would intensify preparations of the legislation required to accede and implement the Rome Statute in Jakarta. I hope that these statements will be in line with the original commitmen t expressed by Indonesia’s 2004 Human Rights Action Plan setting 2008 as a target date for accession and that we may soon witness Indonesia as an additional Asian State Party to this historic institution.

Sincerely,

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DISAPPEARANCES, NUNCA MAS!
Ikatan Keluarga Orang Hilang Indonesia – IKOHI
Indonesian Association of Families of the Disappeared
Jl. Kalasan Dalam No. 5, Pegangsaan
Jakarta 10320
Telp/Fax: +62-21-315791 5
Email: kembalikan@yahoo.com, Web: www.ikohi.blogspot.com
INDONESIA

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Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)

To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER