An open letter

From MYR Agung Sidayu, Chairman of Yayasan Pendidikan Indonesia, to the United Nations Secretary General.H.E Antonio Gutterres

Background.

As stated in the conceptual framework discussed at this meeting, that the enforcement of human rights in the true sense is the key to succeed the 2030 agenda, which has a very short time starting from 2024. In Indonesia, even human rights itself have been mentioned in the 1945 constitution. However, there are a lots of politization and criminalization against its citizens  , which are often contrary to human rights, in certain cases have an impact on implementation efforts for the success of the 2030 agenda. Sometimes  make it difficult for the authorities to provide a sense of justice. 

That's what happened to Prof Dr AS Panji Gumilang the Grand Chancellor of Alzaytun Indonesia who was charged with various articles of the Criminal Codes, only because of closed discussions at the campus during Covid. about the diversity of religious opinions. Then continued with alleged money laundering and others for funds owned by the foundation used for the smooth implementation of quality education and business ventures related to the SDGs. Most of Human Rights activists stated that it was completely politicized and criminalized case. And it is a picture of the implementation of Human Rights in Indonesia. It's very sad indeed, but it's all happened.

The impact for Sustainable Development efforts.

The case mentioned above, greatly affects the efforts of the 2030 agenda, because the implementation of education at Alzaytun is disrupted,  its development and education funds in the Bank which amounting to billions of rupiah, was auto-debit by the Bank while the back to back agreement only ends at the end of 2024, and 277 billion was confiscated by the police, for the investigation process. All of that affects its integrated economic activities.

Alzaytun has made significant steps in the implementation of quality education. Doing business in collaboration with local communities, farmers, fishermen, and women empowerment .it has succeeded in fulfilling food security efforts for campus residents, at the same time helping the community to be free from hunger, with agricultural and the blue economic businesses in cooperation with the communities including the fulfillment of nutrition to achieve a healthy life. Which is immortalized in the motto, Healthy, intelligent and humane.[SEHAT,CERDAS, MANUSIAWI];

For the climate change mitigation, Alzaytun has even done greening by planted 800,000 trees, even 11 years before the 2030 agenda was launched, and is now became a campus forest and a buffer for the pandemic. And along with the 2030 programs. ALzaytun has voiced peace  and tolerance, which is immortalized in the motto of its institution “the center of Education Peace and Tolerance culture development”. To succeed of all above mentioned, domestic and international cooperation was carried out.

Conclusion.

Finally we appeal to the UN Secretary General, and the Director General of the UN Human Rights Commission to consider in recommending The Government of Indonesia to Looking for the best way out for the case, for the sake of smooth implementation of education which is a fundamental human rights, and the 2030 Agenda efforts by Alzaytun Indonesia.

Last but not least, Without intending to corner one to another parties, we really hope that President Joko Widodo and President-elect Haji Prabowo Subianto are willing to consider the best policy, regardless of the results of the trial in court. So that the funds that are temporarily seized will be returned to its owner Yayasan Pesantren Indonesia Alzaytun.