LivePresident Joko Widodo has expressed deep regret over gross human rights violations during Indonesia’s tumultuous post-colonial past, going back to the mass killing of communists and suspected sympathisers in the mid-1960s. “I as a head of state acknowledge that there were gross human rights violations that did happen in many events,” Mr Widodo said. He also cited rights violations in the restive region of Papua and during an insurgency in Aceh province. Rights activists note the Attorney General’s Office, tasked with investigating rights violations, has often thrown out such cases. Mr Jokowi’s administration has faced criticism about its commitment to human rights after parliament ratified a controversial criminal code last month that critics say undermines civil liberties.

Source: Washington Post January 12, 2023 01:28 UTC