IHRC hosts prominent Indonesian Human Rights Campaigner

IHRC hosts prominent Indonesian Human Rights Campaigner: Rusdi Marpaung

Rusdi Marpaung, Senior researcher with Imparsial, one of Indonesia’s best known and respected Human Rights NGOs, will shortly visit Aotearoa. He will address a seminar on December 11 at 4 pm at the St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont St, Ponsonby.

Rusdi will give his assessment of human rights and democratic change in Indonesia , the impact of the Munir case, the impact on Indonesia of the ‘ anti-terrorism’ campaign, the need for reform of the military and police and the ongoing conflict in West Papua.

Rusdi is a former journalist who became involved in human rights campaigning during the Suharto years when the media operated under severe restrictions. In 2002 he, along with other prominent human rights activists, founded Imparsial, the Indonesian Human Rights Monitor.

In 2004 the first director of Imparsial, Munir Said Thalib (usually known as Munir) was tragically murdered on a Garuda flight to the Netherlands. Rusdi Marpaung took over Directorship of Imparsial on Munir’s death and takes a leading role in the ongoing campaign for justice for Munir.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono declared that solving the crime of Munir’s killing was a ‘test of our history’, but the masterminds of his killing have yet to be brought to justice. The head of the State Intelligence Agency Muchdi Purwopranjono was acquitted at the end of 2008 after a much criticised trial.

Rusdi has just completed Post Graduate studies in International Human Right Law and Policy at the University of New South Wales, Sydney.

Rusdi will be available for interview from the afternoon of 10 November, 2010

ENDS

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