Intelijen, Munir, dan Jokowi [Intelligence, Munir, and Jokowi]

Abstract

An opinion article by Al Araf in the daily Kompas, published ahead of the tenth anniversary of the murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib (7 September 2004). Opening with the question that Munir's two children, Alif and Diva, put to their mother Suciwati, the author points out that although the field perpetrators have been punished, the principal actors behind the murder remain free, and President SBY's promise to make the Munir case a "test of our history" has not been fulfilled. The alleged involvement of rogue elements of the Badan Intelijen Negara (BIN, State Intelligence Agency) shows the character of an intelligence service that still regards the human rights and democracy movements as a threat. Referring to David L. Carter, he sets out the characteristics of ineffective intelligence and urges reform of the functions, institutions, and culture of intelligence beyond Law No. 17 of 2011: making BIN a civilian institution, giving room to civilian agents, and ending impunity. The author proposes an agenda for the Jokowi-JK government, namely appointing a civilian head of BIN free of human rights violations and resolving the Munir case as an indicator of change in the world of intelligence.