Investor Presentaiton
Securing Democratic & Civil Rights
Protecting The Human Rights Defenders
In The Environmental Sector
Ardi Stoios Braken
Deputy Head of Mission
Kingdom of Netherlands
ERASMUS MUIS
From left to right:
Joris Ramm (Dutch Embassy Indonesia Diplomat), Ardi Stoios-Braken (Deputy Head of Mission Kingdom of
Netherlands), Ririn Sefsani (Team Leader of the Human Rights Defenders Program), Evi Mariani (General
Manager of Project Multatuli), Marsya Mutmaihan (ICEL researcher), Ardimanto Adiputro (Vice Director of
IMPARSIAL - The Indonesian Human Rights Monitor), Ade Wahyudin (Director of LBH Pers), Rifqi S. Assegaf
(Director of Democratic, Justice, Governance and Regionalization KEMITRAAN Program)
From early 2019 to the end of 2021,
KEMITRAAN, supported by the Kingdom of
the Netherlands, implemented programs
on Environmental Sector Protection of
Human Rights Defenders for Sustainable
Development in Indonesia. The main
objective of this program is to promote the
protection and security of human rights
defenders, especially environmentalists.
The program has worked towards policy
changes and practices together with
increasing community capacity to defend
their rights against criminalization.
The impact of this project can be
illustrated by the following case. In late
2020 the Village of Kenanga, Sungai Liat
District, Province of Bangka Belitung
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Islands, six residents were imprisoned
and sentenced to one month in prison in
relation to protesting about the air pollution
and stench arising from a tapioca plant
waste operating near the community.
This case of criminalisation of protest
constituted an example of a strategic
lawsuit against public participation
(SLAPP) intended to discourage public
expressions of opposition. Through this
project KEMITRAAN was able to support
these residents appeal to the provincial
High Court to seek their acquittal. This
appeal process, also supported by ICEL
(Indonesian Center for Environmental
Law), was successful with all six being
acquitted of charges.
ICEL Director Raynaldo G. Sembiring appreciated the support of
KEMITRAAN in this case. He hoped that KEMITRAAN can continue
to support legal assistance for SLAPP victims so that there will
be more fair Anti-SLAPP court decisions. In addition, he said,
"KEMITRAAN also needs to participate in advocating changes
to its procedural law, especially the Criminal Procedure Code
to prevent SLAPP as early as possible."
-Raynaldo G. Sembiring
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Photo: doc. icel.or.id
GB
During the closing ceremony of the
program on January 27, 2022, Ardi Stoios
Braken, Deputy Head of Mission, the
Netherland Embassy, gave a speech on
collaborating with KEMITRAAN.
"KEMITRAAN and human rights
defenders and journalists they work with,
help the government to account. They
provide information on how government
decisions and actions impact real people
on the ground, and tell them when and
where the things could be improved
upon."
"Human Rights Defenders that we
have seen in KEMITRAAN's project
that we put on the spotlight today
are not only lending their ears to the
government, but they are also the eyes
for the government. They report on when
people, companies, or the government
itself might be singing out of tone. In a
vast country like Indonesia, it is important
to build and strengthen the capacity to do
so in the different corners of the country.
So, the data can be transparent and
open about what is happening in all the
archipelagos from Sabang to Merauke,
from Sumatra island to Papua. When civil
society speaks, it is important for the
government to listen."
"KEMITRAAN and the Netherlands
are long-standing partners. Since
reformasi, KEMITRAAN has been playing
an indispensable role in helping to build
a democratic, transparent and tolerant
Indonesia. The Netherlands are glad to be
part of that."
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KEMITRAAN Annual Report 2021 |
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