PRESS RELEASE
Responsive Government Supports the Fulfillment of Human Rights

Civil Society Coalition for Health Justice
In Commemoration of Human Rights Day 10 December

December 8, 2021. The Covid-19 pandemic has the potential to worsen the situation for fulfilling human rights in Indonesia, especially in fulfilling basic rights related to the pandemic and protecting those whose rights have been violated. This can be seen as the state's inability to provide efficient, effective and accountable public services for the entire community, especially the poor and disadvantaged.

During the pandemic, the Coalition noted the weak role of the government in realizing good, responsive, open, accountable public services, encouraging, facilitating and protecting public participation. Meanwhile, good public services are one of the conditions for fulfilling human rights, especially regarding access to health services during the pandemic.

Complaints Without Response

Citizen participation in providing input, complaints, concerns and complaints about public services and follow-up from the government still faces challenges. Even though this is already regulated inside Law Number 25 of 2009 concerning Public Services Article 18 paragraph (c) that the public has the right to receive a response to the complaints submitted.

Based on Coalition data, the handling of public services in various related ministries/institutions is still not optimal. Over the past year, LaporCovid-19 has received many complaints from citizens such as: difficulty accessing rt-PCR examinations, access to vaccines and medicines, violations of health protocols in public places and during face-to-face learning, as well as difficulties
get social assistance.

Unfortunately, many government complaint channels are not managed well, so that the fulfillment of citizens' rights to obtain accurate information and good public services is not running optimally. In addition, there is still minimal involvement and commitment from service leaders in terms of determining appropriate budget sources and training for service staff.

Those who speak out are actually threatened

Throughout 2021, we recorded at least nine public complaints which ended in backlash and threats. For example, the intimidation and bullying experienced by residents after reporting violations of face-to-face learning provisions
advance (PTM) during PPKM in Bandung Regency. LaporCovid-19 together with LBH Bandung have asked the local Education Department to mediate and stop it intimidation and bullying. However, mediation was never carried out or even a response was received
nor was there any follow-up on reports of bullying in the school environment.

Flashback to May 2021, where complaints about incentives for health workers (nakes) that had not been provided also resulted in intimidation and repressive actions. The volunteer health workers at the Athlete's House who had recorded the number of volunteer health workers who had not received incentives planned to speak out through a press conference but were forced to fail because they received a number of pressures from various parties. This even resulted in the volunteer's contract not being extended.

Then residents who reported alleged misuse of social assistance by RT elements in Kebon Jeruk, DKI Jakarta were actually threatened because their right to receive social protection would be removed. Even though social protection is really needed by residents affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In another form, the LaporCovid19 volunteer team also received intimidation from stakeholders. This occurs when forwarding citizen reports and encouraging relevant stakeholders to respond to and resolve the complaint. Including when encouraging transparency of data on deaths due to Covid-19. The intimidation received included verbal threats via telephone, during closed meetings, and doxing volunteer personal data. In early 2021, the publication of the death of a patient while traveling due to being rejected by a number of hospitals in the Depok area, West Java, resulted in intimidation from local stakeholders.

Irma Hidayana, from LaporCovid19 said that Citizen reports are actually considered to be an obstacle to the agency's performance, criticism is not constructive, and is often seen as tarnishing the agency's good name. In fact, this report is useful for improving the bureaucracy of an agency and the policies that have been launched.

Likewise, the subpoena was sent by the Chief of Presidential Staff, Moeldoko, to ICW regarding the discovery of an alleged conflict of interest due to his closeness to PT Harsen Laboratories, the producer of the drug Ivermectin which is claimed to be a drug for Covid-19. In fact, this is an effort to monitor the transparency of pandemic control so that it truly supports the health and safety of the people.

These threats show that the State is unable to protect and provide a safe space for citizens who are pressing for improvements in the public service sector explained Muhammad Isnur, the Coalition representative from YLBHI.

The incidents above perhaps show that the government is not serious about responding to and protecting citizen complaints in order to obtain the right to accountable public services in accordance with the mandate of Law 25/2009. In fact, the state is the holder of obligations (duty bearer) Fulfillment of human rights, which means that the state is obliged to respect, protect and fulfill the human rights of every citizen, is realized, among other things, by taking responsive action to what its citizens voice, including criticizing and encouraging transparency and accountability.

In accordance with the mandate of the UN Human Rights Council report 25/27 of 2013, public services are based on openness, accountability, and responsiveness to public complaints is an essential component of human rights. So in commemoration International Human Rights Day, the Coalition recommends that the Government:

1. Providing efficient, effective and accountable public services for the entire community, especially the poor and disadvantaged during the Covid-19 pandemic;
2. Hear people's voices. Among other things, this is realized by responding to and following up on complaints, input and complaints from citizens regarding the handling and violations of Covid-19 in Indonesia;
3. Stop all forms of intimidation and threats to citizens who speak out for improvements to public services during the pandemic;
4. Protecting residents who submit public complaints so that residents do not feel afraid of the consequences of their reports. Both for himself and his family.
   

Contact Person:
Muhammad Isnur – YLBHI (081510014395)
Firdaus Ferdiansyah – LaporCovid-19 (087838822426)

This press release can be downloaded via the following link.