Jakarta, Indonesia – Six of Indonesia’s leading human rights institutions have jointly launched an autonomous fact-finding team to investigate unrest that erupted across multiple regions last august. The team, announced Friday, comprises representatives from the National Commission for human Rights (Komnas HAM), the National commission on Violence Against Women, Indonesia’s Ombudsman, the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK), the Indonesian Commission for Child Protection (KPAI), and the National Commission for Disability (KND).
The initiative signals a concerted effort to establish a comprehensive understanding of the events, according to Komnas HAM Chair Anis Hidayah. “In addition to fact-finding, the team will assess victims’ conditions, review government follow-up, and propose recommendations to promote truth, justice, and recovery,” Hidayah stated during a press conference.
The investigation will encompass the demonstrations and subsequent riots,with a focus on documenting casualties,psychological trauma,economic losses,and damage to public infrastructure. The team will also seek to identify individuals and groups - both state and non-state actors – potentially involved in the unrest, and will investigate reports of missing persons.
“We will document everything-from violence and arbitrary arrests to fatalities and affected individuals,” Hidayah added.
Crucially,Hidayah emphasized the team’s independence,clarifying it was not formed at the direction of the government and will build upon existing investigations conducted by each participating agency. ”The team will operate objectively and impartially, with input from civil society and experts,” she saeid, adding that a completion timeline has not yet been established.
LPSK Deputy Head Sri Suparyati highlighted the team’s commitment to addressing the specific needs of vulnerable populations, stating the report will aim to uphold the rights of women, children, and persons with disabilities impacted by the unrest.
