Finalization of The Recommendation Letter Draft on Integration Strategy of The Domestic Violence Abolition Act into the Religious Court System

Yogyakarta, pta-yogyakarta.go.id (23/03/10) - As the continuation of a series of events started from a national seminar of integration strategy of Domestic Violence Abolition Act on 16-17 November 2009 followed by workshops and several meetings of a small team in Jakarta and Yogyakarta, on 22-23 March 2010 was held the finalization of the recommendation letter draft on integration strategy of UUPKDRT (Domestic Violence Abolition Act) into the religious court system at the Millennium Hotel, Kebon Sirih Jakarta.

In the event, it was expected that recommendations that had been prepared by a small team of Yogyakarta, could be discussed again by Team 15 consisting of: May Shofia Romas (NGO Rifka Annisa), Nurul Lailia (Rifka Annisa), Suharti (Rifka Annisa), Amaroh Siti ( Rifka Annisa), Nur Hayati Elli (Rifka Annisa), Estu Fanani (LBH (Legal Aid Institution) APIK Jakarta), Eka Purnamasari (LBH APIK Jakarta), Nur Lailah Ahmad (Judge of PA (Religious Court of) Bantul), Nani Setyawati (Judge of PA Jakarta Timur (Religious Court of East Jakarta)), M. Djafar A . Rashid (Judge of PTA (High Religious of)  Jakarta), Razak Pellu (Judge of PTA Ambon), Qomaruddin Mudzakir (Judge of PTA Yogyakarta), Riskiyono (State Ministry for Women Empowerment and Child Protection), Saiful Bahri (Badilag (Directorate General of Religious Courts Body), of The Supreme Court (MA)), and Saeroni (Rifka Annisa). As with any discussion, it  was always found the pros and cons, either by language or substance of each discussion. Those also occurred in the discussions of each problem in the desired recommendation.

From the various discussions and recommendation plans of the workshops, Team 15  then agreed that the most feasible and most strategic agency for the success of integration of UUPKDRT in the Religious Court system was the Supreme Court, whereas The Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights were as the support agencies that had roles in the integration. To the future it was expected that some agencies also to be given the recommendation in accordance with the basic tasks of each agency and institution.

According to Team 15 that then agreed on its name to the National Network for Cross-Institutional for integrating UUPKDRT into the Religious Court System, the Supreme Court had a major role in this integration process, because by the Supreme Court issued a Circular Letter (SEMA) or a Regulation of the Supreme Court (PERMA) to urge the religious court judges to put UUPKDRT into the legal considerations of every decision of the case with indication of domestic violence, then they would follow the SEMA and PERMA issued by the Supreme Court.

The follow-up plan of this network was to send the draft  finalization results of the recommendation letters to the Supreme Court, Ministry of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights as well as to have hearings with these institutions, so that the process recommendations would run more smoothly. (Lily ahmad)