Menjelang Kunjungan Presiden BARACK OBAMA (2)

Kolom IBRAHIM ISA
Senin, 15 Maret 2010
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MENJELANG KUNJUNGAN PRESIDEN BARACK OBAMA (2)
< Surat Terbuka Amnesty International A.S. Kepada Obama>


Sikap dan pendirian seorang pemimpin politik golongan apapun, di negeri manapun, apalagi bila ia seorang kepala negara dan kepala pemerintah sekaligus, seperti Presiden Barack Obama, maka, prioritas utamanya, alasan dasar tindakannya – – Adalah kepentingan politik nasional negerinya sendiri. Politik luarnegerinya, itupun, diabdikan pada kepentingan dalam negerinya.


Kepedulian Obama di dalam negerinya dewasa ini ialah berusaha sekuat-kuatnya menggolkan rencana reformasi perawatan kesehatan bagi seluruh rakyat Amerika. Janji reformasi perawatan kesehatan rakyat adalah salah satu tema besar kampanye pilpres Barack Obama pada pilpres 2008 yl. Oleh karena itu, tak heran, bahwa Gedung Putih sampai mengundurkan beberapa hari kunjungan Obama ke Asia/Pasifik. Itu demi menangani masalah reformasi perawatan kesehatan umum negeri.


Menurut berita pers kunjungan Barack Obama di Indonesia berlangsung dari 20 s.d 22 Maret.


Masyarakat Indonesia masih ada waktu beberapa hari mempersiapkan diri bagaimana 'memanfaatkan' kunjungan Presiden Barack Obama tsb demi kepentingan usaha kegiatan sendiri. Dimaksudkan di sini adalah: Para aktivis peduli prodem (pro-demokrasi) dan HAM. Memanfaatkan celah-celah dan kesempatan yang ada demi mendorong maju usaha dan kegiatan HAM dan demokrasi di Indonesia, bukan hal baru bagi aktivis prodem dan HAM Indonesia.


Seperti dikemukakan di bagian (1) Kolom ini, sekitar kunjungan Presiden Obama ke Indonesia, – – – sebuah organisasi HAM di Amerika Serikat, yaitu Amnesty International USA, telah mengirimkan sepucuk surat terbuka kepada Presiden Barack Obama.


Di dalam surat terbuka tsb Presiden Obama diingatkan agar di Indonesia nanti, beliau memerlukan untuk menemui para aktivis HAM serta korban Peristiwa Pelanggaran HAM 1965, dll. Maksudnya untuk membikin jelas kepada fihak Indonesia, bahwa Amerika Serikat mengkaitkan pengembangan hubungan dua negeri dengan masalah pemberlakuan HAM di Indonesia.


Bisa diperkirakan para aktivis prodem dan HAM beserta para eks-tapol dan keluarga korban pelanggaran HAM sekitar Peristiwa 1965, mengambil insiatif. Merebut waktu untuk menghubungi Kedutaan Besar Amerika Serikat. Nyatakan keinginan agar Presiden Obama memerlukan diri bertemu muka dan mendengar suara mereka-mereka, para aktivis prodem dan HAM, dan yang penting, para (wakil-wakil) eks-tapol dan para keluarga korban pelanggaran HAM di Indonesia. Ini sesuai dengan saran dan anjuran organisasi HAM di AS, Amnesty Internatioanal USA. Maksud ini bukan tidak mungkin terlaksana.


Nyatanya, pada masa rezim Orba sekalipun, Presiden Carter (dari Partai Demokrat AS, teman separtai Presiden Obama) ketika itu, khusus mengirimkan seorang utusan pribadinya ke Indonesia, untuk menemui korban pelanggaran HAM 1965. Eks Tapol yang dihubungi oleh utusan Presiden Carter tsb tak lain tak bukan, adalah JOESOEF ISAK, yag kemudian menjadi Pemimpin Penerbit Hasta Mitra.


Informasi yang disampaikan oleh Joesoef Isak kepada utusan pribadi Presiden Carter, digunakan oleh Presiden Carter, dalam memperbesar tekanan pada Presiden Suharto. Supaya Suharto bisa menyadari posisi AS, bahwa Amerika Serikat (dalam hal ini sebuah resolusi Congres) mengkaitkan masalah bantuan AS kepada Indonesia dengan masalah tahanan politik di Indonesia, masalah pelanggaran HAM. Kongkritnya AS memperbesar tekanannya kepada Orba agar melepaskan tahanan politik.


Kelanjutannya ialah rezim Orba terpaksa memperhatikan tekanan AS, dan mulai melepaskan para tapol, terutama para tapol yang di pulau Buru. Ini adalah pengalaman nyata yang perlu dipertimbangkan baik-baik. Tentu, penyebab dilepaskannya sebagian besar tapol ketika itu yang menyangkut Peristiwa 1965, penyebabnya bukan semata-mata karena adanya tekanan dari AS. Masih ada faktor-faktor penting lainnya. Antara lain tekanan dunia internasional kepada Orba bersangkutan dengan pelanggaran HAM di Indonesia.



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Bagaimana orang menyikapi kedatangan Presiden Barack Obama ke negeri kita, bisa disaksikan dari pelbagai reaksi yang sudah bisa dibaca di media. Salah seorang politikus yang dianggap salah seorang tokoh Reformasi, yaitu Amien Rais – dan juga menganggap dirinya seperti Gus Dur, Megawati Sukarnoputeri, dan Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, –-- keras 'menentang' kedatangan Obama. Presiden Obama hanya membawa 'masalah' ke Indonesia. Karena ia mengirimkan 30.000 tentara ke Afghanistan. Demikian Amien Rais.


Padahal masih segar dalam ingatan orang, bahwa menjelang pilpres beberapa tahun yang lalu, ketika Amien Rais berambisi menjadi calpres, ia bersikap 'lain' terhadap AS. Ketika ia berkunjung ke Amerika Serikat sekitar waktu itu. pers dalam dan luarnegeri mengomentari bahwa Amien Rais ke AS terkait dengan maksudnya untuk minta 'restu' Gedung Putih. Sehubungan dengan ambisinya untuk menjadi presiden RI mendatang.


Di Jawa Timur dan Kalimantan diorganissir demo menentang kunjungan Obama ke Indonesia. Mereka itu dari kelompok Hisbut Tahrir. Juga ada demo di Senayan yang diorganiir oleh Lembaga Dakwah Kampus (Jakarta). Sikap kaum demontran tsb sama seperti pernyataan Amien Rais. Mereka menentang kedatangan Obama ke Indonesia.


Namun, ada suara lain. Mereka tidak apriori menentang kedatangan Obama ke Indonesia. Hendardi dari 'Institut Setara', yang dikenal adalah salah seorang aktivis prodem dan HAM di Indonesia menyatakan sbb: Meskipun kunjun Obama dapat digunakan oleh sementara pejabat untuk membenarkan kemajuan negeri ini berkenaan dengan demokrasi, hak-hak manusia dan pluralisme, ia (Hendardi) dan para aktivis lainnya akan menyuarakan keadaan sesungguhnya di negeri ini. Untuk mendesak AS agar membantu memecahkan masalah-masalah yang bersumber dari intoleransi. Diharapkan kunjungan Obama akan mendorong pluralisme. Demikian Hendardi. Apa yang diutarakan Hendardi ini terkait dengan masalah intolernasi terhadap kaum minoritas, seperti sikap terhadap gereja-gereja Kristen, dan persekusi terhadap pengikut aliran Islam Ahmadiyah.


Lanjut Hendardi: “Terpilihnya seorang Hitam Amerika sebagai presiden AS, yang di waktu lampau tak bisa dibayangkan, hal ini dapat memberikan inspirasi orang-orang Indonesia. Kisah Obama sendiri merupakan contoh hidup bagaimana kita dapat berjuang melawan intoleransi dan diskriminasi. “Kami tidak percaya bahwa AS akan tinggal diam mengenai pelanggaran-pelangagaran HAM di negeri ini, semata-mata karena AS punya kepentingan ekonomi di Indonesia.”


Di sisi lain, Presiden Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS), Luthfi Hasan Ishag berucap, bahwa, pihaknya mendukung kehadiran Presiden Barack Obama di Indonesia. "Kehadirannya sebagai tamu negara, kita `welcome`. Kitapun mendukung saling kesepahaman antara Indonesia dan AS, untuk menuju Indonesia yang lebih baik," katanya. (Bersambung)


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Lampiran: SEPUCUK SURAT TERBUKA AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL U.S.A.

tertuju kepada Presiden Barack Obama, menjelang kunjungan kenegaraan ke Indoensia, yang direncanakan akhir Maret ini. 03/05/10 13:26:00


Amnesty International U.S.A.

Letter to President Obama on Indonesia


March 2, 2010


The Honorable Barack Obama

President of the United States

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20500


Dear Mr. President:

As you prepare to travel to launch the US–Indonnesia Comprehensive Partnership, Amnesty International would like to bring to your attention the human rights situation in Indonesia and urge you to press President Susilo Bangbang Yudhoyono for meaningful human rights improvements.

Failure to do so would send the wrong signal: that the United States is not concerned about human rights in Indonesia.


While in Indonesia, we strongly urge you to meet with human rights defenders and the families of victims of state abuse, especially those civilians who were killed during the 1965 political turmoil. We also urge you to publicly state what role human rights will play in the US–Indonesia Comprehensive partnership and emphasize that human rights will play as important a role as trade and security. Please commend Indonesia's leadership role in creating the human rights body in ASEAN. Encourage President Yudhoyono to continue Indonesia's active role in this body and offer to assist their work.


Even though Indonesia has come a long way over the years in its respect for human rights, much needs to be done to protect the basic rights of Indonesian citizens. We would like to highlight our human rights concerns.


Address the Problem of Impunity

Major human rights abusers go unpunished in Indonesia. One clear example is the failure of successive Indonesian governments to bring the late military dictator Suharto to trial for the roughly half-a-million to a million people who were killed in 1965. He was also never held to account for the death of around 100,000 East Timor people. This is one of the main reasons why impunity is a serious problem in Indonesia to this date.


Make Reform a Centerpiece of US–Indonesia military cooperation

US – Indonesia military cooperation should ensure the development of a professional security force in Indonesia and should be linked to bringing those involved in human rights abuses to face trial. Of special concern are recent attempts to engage the Special Forces group "Kopassus."


Request: Any US–Indonesia military cooperation should be linked to genuine security sector reform, including bringing a"Kopassus" officers involved in human rights abuses to trial.


Stoning to death for adultery

A new Indonesian bylaw endorses stoning to death for adultery and canning of up to 100 lashes for homosexuality. This local Islamic Criminal Code was passed by the Aceh Provincial House of Representatives in September 2009.


Request: Urge the Indonesian authorities to repeal this law.


Release Political Prisoners

Indonesian authorities continue to use repressive legislation to criminalize peaceful political activities. Violations of this right are particularly severe in areas where there has been a history of pro-independence movements such as Maluku and Papua.


* Former civil servant Filep Karma and student Yusak Pakage are serving prison sentences of 15 and 10 years respectively for peacefully raising the Papua flag.


* In June 2007, 22 men were arrested in Maluku province for unfurling the "Benang Raja" flag, a symbol of South Maluku identity, after performing a traditional dance in front of President Yudhoyono. All have now been sentenced to jail terms between seven and 20 years.


Amnesty International considers the above "Prisoners of Conscience" and demands their immediate and unconditional release.


Request: We urge you to demand their immediate release before you arrive in Indonesia as a mark of good will. We are confident that President Yudhoyono will take your request seriously.


Protect Human Rights Defenders

We appreciate your recent meeting with Human Rights Defenders at the White House and urge you to highlight the protection of human rights defenders in Indonesia. We are concerned that the Indonesian legal system is being used to intimidate human rights defenders rather than to ensure that they are able to carry out their important work.


For example, human rights defender Usman Hamid is the subject of criminal defamation proceedings due to his involvement in the campaign for justice for the late Munir Said Thalib, who was murdered by poisoning in September 2004. In addition to Mr. Hamid, at least six other human rights defenders faced criminal defamation charges in 2009 for their work: Emerson Yuntho, Illian Deta Arta Sari, Gatot, Suryani, Dadang Iskandar, and Itce Julinar.


Request:

1) We urge you to press President Yudhoyono to ensure that human rights defenders are not targeted through criminal defamation suits or by any other means.


2) We also urge you to call upon the Indonesian government to identify those at the highest level responsible for Munir’s murder and publish the report of the fact-finding team.


Establish Complaint Mechanism for Police Abuse

Despite the current reform process to make Indonesian National Police more professional and respectful of human rights, criminal suspects living in poor and marginalized communities, in particular women and repeat offenders, are disproportionately targeted for a range of human rights violations.


Request: Urge President Yudhoyono to initiate steps to set up an independent complaints mechanism that can receive and deal with complaints from the public.


Prosecute Those Responsible for Disappearances

In September 2009, the Special Committee on Disappearances 1997–1998 of Indonesia's House of Representatives urged the government to create an ad-hoc human rights court to try those responsible for enforced disappearances.


Request: Urge the Authorities to take immediate steps to create an ad-hoc human rights court.


Allow Freedom of Religion

Blasphemy law: Several laws and regulations continue to be discriminatory towards freedom of thought, conscience and religion. Article 156(a) of Indonesian Criminal Code, enacted under a 1965 Presidential Decree, makes "blasphemy" a crime punishable by up to 5 years of imprisonment. Amnesty International is aware of at least eight people who are currently in prison under this law.


The Ahmadiyya community continues to face intimidation and attacks. In June 2008, a joint ministerial decree instructed the Ahmadiya community to either declare that they are not Muslims or discontinue declaring their faith.


Christian groups also face restrictions on worship and evictions. In one case, at least 1,400 Christian students were evacuated from their Setia college campus in July 2008 when it was attacked by villagers allegedly linked to the Islamic Defenders Front. There have been no arrests in relation to the attack.


Request: Urge the Indonesian authorities to allow freedom of religion.


Mr. President, Amnesty International urges you to take this opportunity to ensure that steps are taken to improve human rights in Indonesia. While in Indonesia, we strongly urge you to speak publicly and meet with human rights defenders and families of victims, especially those civilians who were killed during the 1965 political turmoil. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Larry Cox – Executive Director


(Bersambung)


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