Two years before KontraS was founded, the hopes for developing a new
society under a democratic system was almost buried, when in 1996,
authoritarian politics has not only destroyed the independent political
aspirations, but also muzzled what is so called the “Undercurrent” as a
continuation of the July 27, 1996 incident. The Victims were not only
political parties, but also nearly all independent community
organizations. NGOs and students have experienced cooptation and
intimidation in an increasingly brutal manner.
The brutality of July 27, 1996 itself occurred in connection with the need
of the regime to prepare a clear road for the reproduction process of the
New Order, which culminated in the General Elections of 1997. In this
period, by predicting the possibilities of violence that may arise as a
reaction to the General Elections and the General Session of the
Consultative Assembly, a number of NGOs have established a Commissioned
named KIP-HAM, the Independent Commission for the Monitoring of Human
Rights Violations.
In further developments, the need for reproducing/extending the regime has
not only claimed victims in the macro political settings, such as the
muzzling and control of the political parties in the new order, even more
than that it seems they are also targeting at the dynamics at the micro
level of the conjucture in the form the abduction of a number of students
and activists of NGOs and political parties. AT that thime, this was the
firced enforced disappearances that came to the surfacing, causing anxiety
among the people, especially on the disappearances of Desmon Mahesa,k Pius
Lustrilanang and Haryanto Taslam.
As the anxiety caused by disappearing people and violence took place, in
the macro sense, the New Order regime is entering its most crucial period
as a political regime, namely the onset of the storm in the form of the
economic crisis which escalated until 1998. The beatings inflicted by this
economic crisis which is becoming increasingly more severe seemingly
challenged and ridiculed the desire of the Suharto regime which is going
to be reinstated in the General Session of the Consultative Assembly in
March 1998.
With these contradictions, KIP HAM was changed into KONTRAS (The
Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence):
VISION:
- Democracy must be developed on the basis of the wholeness of the
people’s sovereignty based on the fundamentals and principles of a people
that is free from fear, oppression, violence and the various forms of
human rights violations.
- The conditions for the growth of a democratic system is to develop the
characteristics of the system and the conduct of the state with civilian
characteristics, and the alienation of politics from the approaches
through violence which is born from the principles of militarism as a
system, and the political behavior or culture, so that the issue is not
just the military intervention in politics. But more than that, it
concerns the structural and cultural conditions and the relationships
between social communities, social groups and social strata which
prioritizes violence and its symbols.
MISSION
- To advance the people’s awareness on the importance of respect for human
rights, especially the sensitivity of the people to the various forms of
violence and attempts at the forced disappearances of people as a result
of the abuse of state power.
- To fight for the upholding and respect for human rights, especially the
right of the people to be free from all forms of violence and forced
disappearances of people and the other serious human rights violations, by
means of various forms of advocacy or demands for accountability of the
state.
- To consistently push for the changes in law and political system which
has the dimension of the strengthening and protection of the people
against the forms of violence and forced disappearances and other serious
human rights violations.
FORM AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE ORGANIZATION
- Non – profit organization;
- KontraS obtains funding to finance its activities from donations from
the community, organizations as well as individuals and other donor
institutions, domestically as well as from abroad, under the condition
that it is not binding and without consequences in any form whatsoever
which could impede, distrupt and or result in the change of the substance
and or implementation of the vision and mission of the organization.
KontraS is run by a Working Committee which is led by a Coordinator
assisted by a staff in the divisions established as needed, and having the
right to recruit volunteers.
