Opinion: The Loss of TPF Documents

[Picture Source: Alchetron (Website)]

Flying to Utrecht, Netherlands, to study law in master course program and to do research about enforced disappearances on September, 6th 2004, Munir lost his life. Before his departure, a friend, Pollycarpus, whom he didn't know him really well, asked his wife, Suciwati, about his flight schedule. Pollycarpus set a criminal act toward Munir during the flight. 

Munir ate up fried noodle with beef and a glass of orange juices. Then, he sent a message to his wife about his uncomfortable feeling on his stomach. He went back and forth to the toilet for six times, then he was given a treatment from a doctor. He was extremely weak but he couldn't be helped by the doctor. "If the disease is mild, he must be able to survive for about 3 days", the doctor said. At the same time, Pollycarpus called Budi Santoso and said, "Big Fish Operation has been finished". 

In the court, Pollycarpus was found guilty. He poisoned Munir with Arsen (a toxic chemical compound) through his food that Munir ate up. Nevertheless, the mastermind behind him has never been revealed [1].

The incident happened around SBY governance so SBY built a team to focus investigating about Munir case, named TPF (Tim Pencari Fakta/Team of Fact Finder). After finishing its duty period, TPF handed over a document which comprised of some recommendations for the advanced investigation. One of the recommendations is to investigate more Hendropriyono who was assured as a responsible party for Munir case [2]. 

Munir case hasn't finished yet until Jokowi governance. The people insisted Jokowi to continue the investigation. Jokowi agreed but he needed the original document to be studied. What Mensesneg (a division at SBY governance that was responsible to hand over the document to the next governance) gave to Jokowi governance was not the original document but it was only the copied version. Jokowi refused the copied version since it might have been less accuracy and potentially to be manipulated. The original documents was mentioned missing [2].

Ex the Head of TPF, Sudi Silalahi, said, "Based on SBY recall, there are 6 documents and has been spread to the government. However, he hadn't told about the position of the original document yet [3]. One of the ex of TPF members, Hendardi assesed, "The problem of the lost of original TPF documents please do not make it difficult. There are 7 documents in total, I' m wondering if all of the 7 documents went missing, it doesn't make sense" [4]. The head of MPR (judicial institution), Zulkifli Hasan added, "Do not politicize it. Please, search it well" [5].

In my opinion, Instead of searching the original document when it seems that there are some parties that try to cover and hide it by giving so many excuses to make the original document unrevealed, it's better to build again another TPF and do the investigation again from the beginning. If the member of the new TPF involve the ex members, I believe, the investigation can be done faster, more effective, and more efficient since they must be still remember what they have done during their work period. Moreover, by doing investigation through the new TPF, who knows if they will coincidently find the original document. 

I know, it will spend more times to build a new TPF but I think, it's better than do nothing. Or another solution, keep searching the original document but in the other side, also keep building the new TPF so it will be like undergoing two ways to reach one purpose in the same time. It's better to do something while waiting the result of finding, again, it's better than do nothing, I think. 

Essentially, finishing the investigation of Munir case is a must since it correlated to the human rights. Munir is a human rights activist so the loss of his life intentionally by a party who didn't like him is absolutely a violation toward human rights. If the government doesn't continue or start again the investigation, it seems like the government doesn't respect to the human rights or in other words, the government doesn't respect to the people whereas the existance of the government is because of the people. They have to do what people want it to do which is to respect human rights, to respect justice.

There are so many rights insisted by the human rights activists to be preserved and respected by the government and the people, like the rights to study, the rights to have a job, the rights to get married, etc. Nevertheless, personally, I only more concern about the right to live as the essential of human rights since this crucial thing also hasn't been respected well until this time. From my opinion, it's okay to see other components of rights in human rights, but please do it after the rights to live has been respected really well. It doesn't need to be concerned, just focus on the rights to live first. Without living, human never can have the rights to study, to have a job, or even to get married.

In conclusion, it's really really substantial to do the investigation whether to continue the last investigation or to start again the new investigation because the most important thing is the government do something to show its goodwill to respect the human rights. I hope in the future, the people of Indonesia can live comfortably.

References:

[1] Tempo. (2014). Kronologi Kematian Munir. [Website].

[2] Tempo. (2016). Jubir Istana: Presiden Jokowi Akan Selesaikan Kasus Munir. [Website].

[3] Kompas. (2016). Cerita SBY telusuri Dokumen TPF Pembunuhan Munir. [Website].

[4] Kompas. (2016). Polemik Keberadaan Dokumen TPF Munir, Perkara Mudah yang Dibuat Susah?. [Website].

[5] Kompas. (2016). Ketua MPR: Soal Data TPF Munir Tidak Usah Dipolitisasi. [Website].