Sunday, October 26, 2014

ETAN Opposes Appointment of Retired General Ryamizard Ryacudu as Defense Minister

ETAN Opposes Appointment of Retired General Ryamizard Ryacudu as Defense Minister

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October 26, 2014 - The East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) today condemned Indonesia President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's appointment of retired General Ryamizard Ryacudu as Minister Defense.

"The appointment of a hardliner like Ryamizard Ryacudu tells us that President Widodo is not serious about promoting human rights or reaching out to West Papua," said John M. Miller, Coordinator of ETAN.

"He is a relic of the past with a history of excusing rights violations by soldiers, threatening human rights critics, and asserting the military's right to meddle in civilian affairs."

Miller added, "While fighting corruption may be a priority for his administration. He certainly didn't take into account Ryamizard's well-reported statements on human rights. This speaks volumes about the importance of human rights to Jokowi."

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Ryamizard Ryacudu