YLBHI: Prabowo as Defense Minister Will be a Democratic Setback
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22 October 2019 12:14 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI) executive director, Asfinawati, said that the government will truly be insensitive toward human rights violations if Prabowo Subianto eventually gets appointed as President Jokowi’s defense minister.
“Prabowo being invited by the State Palace to assist them is a setback toward democracy and reform. Such in the past, human rights violators are able to position themselves in strategic positions and our government is insensitive with issues regarding human rights violators. This goes to show that we resemble the year 1998,” said Asfinawati to Tempo on October 22.
She argued that Indonesia should be committed in upholding human rights issues and that that alleged human rights violators may take the government as a hostage, “It’s impossible to see a government official letting themselves be caught if the government decides to continue cases regarding human rights violations.’
The YLBHI executive director then reminds that a Minister of Defense shall not exclusively come from a military background as in the past, Indonesia once had a defense minister from a civilian background.
“Even if it must be from the military, aren’t there any other options from the military?” she asked.
HALIDA BUNGA
