Balancing State Security and Human Rights: A Comparative Study of Indonesia and Gambia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24252/aldev.v7i3.61561Keywords:
Comparative analysis, Human rights, State secutiryAbstract
This research examines the complex relationship between state security and human rights in Indonesia and The Gambia, two nations with distinct sociopolitical landscapes. In times of political unrest, terrorism, or civil conflict, efforts to ensure state security often compromise individual rights. The study explores how each country balances these competing demands, particularly during separatist movements, post-authoritarian transitions, and security crises. Using a comparative approach, it analyzes legal frameworks, institutional responses, and international commitments to human rights. The paper draws on recent case studies, including the Papua conflict in Indonesia and human rights reforms in The Gambia, to highlight ongoing challenges and strategies. The findings shed light on the broader global tension between surveillance-driven security measures and the protection of civil liberties.References
Amnesty International. (2024). Human rights in Indonesia. Amnesty International. https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/asia-and-the-pacific/south-east-asia-and-the-pacific/indonesia/report-indonesia/
Amnesty International. (2024, July 15). Gambia: Continued ban on FGM is good news but authorities must urgently address its root causes. Amnesty International.
Amnesty International. (2024, November 14). Human rights in Gambia. Amnesty International.
Butt, S. (2012). Indonesia’s regional anti-corruption courts: Should they be abolished? Indonesia Law Review, 2(2), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.15742/ilrev.v2n2.15
CNN Indonesia. (2024, December 31). Kapolri sebut masih ada 24 jaringan KKB aktif di Papua. CNN Indonesia.
Deleuze, G. (1992). Postscript on the societies of control. October, 58, 3–7. https://doi.org/10.2307/778828
Dwyer, M. (2023). The Gambia: Uses and abuses of state intelligence agencies. In R. Shaffer (Ed.), The handbook of African intelligence cultures (pp. 265–276). Rowman & Littlefield.
Earl, J., Maher, T. V., & Pan, J. (2022). The digital repression of social movements, protest, and activism: A synthetic review. Science Advances, 8(10). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abl8198
Finden, A., & Dutta, S. (2024). Counterterrorism, political anxiety and legitimacy in postcolonial India and Egypt. Critical Studies on Terrorism, 17(2), 176–200. https://doi.org/10.1080/17539153.2024.2304908
Held, D., & McGrew, A. G. (2007). Globalization/anti-globalization. Polity / Blackwell.
Human Rights Monitor. (2024). Annual report 2023: Human rights and conflict in West Papua. Human Rights Monitor. https://humanrightsmonitor.org/reports/hrm-annual-report-human-rights-and-conflict-in-west-papua-2023/
Human Rights Monitor. (2025, February 20). Annual report 2024: Human rights and conflict in West Papua. Human Rights Monitor.
Human Rights Monitor. (2024). Supreme court upholds acquittal of human rights activists Fatia Maulidyanti and Haris Azhar. Human Rights Monitor. https://humanrightsmonitor.org/news/supreme-court-upholds-acquittal-of-human-rights-activists-fatia-maulidyanti-and-haris-azhar/
Human Rights Monitor. (2024, March 22). Videos of Indonesian soldiers torturing Papuan go viral – Human rights defenders demand judicial process against perpetrators. Human Rights Monitor.
Human Rights Monitor. (2024, July 4). Security force members kill Papuan man during raid in Paniai Regency. Human Rights Monitor.
Human Rights Monitor. (2024, July 26). Papuan human rights defender faces intimidation after delivering statement at the UN. Human Rights Monitor.
Human Rights Monitor. (2024, September 13). Government’s Merauke food estate project violates indigenous rights and lacks environmental sustainability. Human Rights Monitor.
Human Rights Watch. (2018). World report 2018: Gambia. Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/gambia
Indrawan, M., Caldecott, J., & Ermayanti. (2017). Mitigating tensions over land conversion in Papua, Indonesia. Asia & the Pacific Policy Studies, 4(1), 147–157. https://doi.org/10.1002/app5.157
Isfarin, N. N., & Apriandhini, M. (2021). Legal framework derogation of human rights during the Covid-19 pandemic. The 3rd Open Society Conference, 3(1), 42–48.
Nguyen, T. T., Grote, U., Neubacher, F., Rahut, D. B., Do, M. H., & Paudel, G. P. (2023). Security risks from climate change and environmental degradation: Implications for sustainable land use transformation in the Global South. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 63, 101322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2023.101322
Republic of Indonesia. (2003). Law No. 15 of 2003 concerning the stipulation of government regulations in lieu of Law No. 1 of 2002 concerning the eradication of terrorism crimes, into law. Central Government.
Reuters. (2018, February 6). Indonesia declares Papua health crisis under control. Reuters.United Nations Human Rights. (2011). International legal protection of human rights in armed conflict (p. 21). United Nations.
Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission. (2022). TRRC final report Gambia. Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission.
United Nations Human Rights. (2019). The right to privacy in the digital age: Resolution. United Nations.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Kanchul Louis Mendy, Maskun
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
All writings published in this journal are the authors' personal views and do not represent the views of this journal or the authors' affiliated institutions. Author(s) retain copyrights under the license of Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0).
