Alumni call on YLBHI to renew mission<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Some former leading lights from the Indonesian Legal Aid
\nInstitute Foundation (YLBHI) have deemed that the organization
\nwill be unable to safeguard its future unless it finds a new role
\nfor itself in the current era of reform.<\/p>\n
Lawyer Luhut MP Pangaribuan, a patron of the Indonesian
\nAdvocates Association (APHI), said most of YLBHI's functions
\nsince its establishment in 1970 had been taken over by a number
\nof watchdogs and political parties.<\/p>\n
Besides offering legal advocacy, YLBHI became the most
\nrespected watchdog in the country for its unstinting efforts to
\npromote human rights and democracy and to provide political
\neducation for the public at large.<\/p>\n
\"In the early years of the New Order regime, YLBHI alone stood
\nup for democracy. But now, with the existence of many similar
\nnon-governmental and political parties that provide political
\neducation to the public, YLBHI must reinvent itself so that it
\ncan stand tall again in the crowd,\" he told The Jakarta Post
\nrecently.<\/p>\n
Luhut's juniors, Teten Masduki and Bambang Widjojanto, agreed,
\nsuggesting that YLBHI empower its 14 regional offices.<\/p>\n
Bambang Widjojanto, who was dismissed as YLBHI director by the
\nboard of trustees last year for trying to reform the
\norganization, argued that local offices were the focal points of
\nthe organization and played a crucial role in people empowerment.<\/p>\n
\"It would be disconcerting in this era of decentralization if
\nYLBHI continued to ignore the problems facing the local offices
\nbut still based its reputation on the work of local offices,\" he
\ntold the Post.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, the 24 members of the foundation's supervisory
\nboard, chaired by Adnan Buyung Nasution, with cofounders and
\nseveral prominent figures, including media people, elected head
\nof YLBHI's civil and political division Munarman as the
\norganization's new director.<\/p>\n
The supervisory board, as the original board of trustees is
\nnow called, holds the ultimate authority.<\/p>\n
In a public debate, Munarman pledged to continue the work of
\nhis seniors and to devolve authority to the local offices. He
\nalso promised that in the five years of his tenure there would be
\na regeneration and education program for all members.<\/p>\n
Although the patrons decided to return YLBHI to its original
\nmission by focusing on legal advocacy, Munarman, an outspoken
\ncritic of Adnan declared YLBHI should continue in its role of
\nproposing alternatives to government policy.<\/p>\n
Currently a member of the Center for Electoral Reform (Cetro),
\nBambang questioned YLBHI's stance in this era of transition, in
\nwhich public demands for resolution of the political and human
\nrights abuses allegedly committed by the state in the past were
\ngrowing stronger.<\/p>\n
\"How can YLBHI deal with past human rights crimes when its
\nexecutives become the advocates of military officers implicated
\nin human rights violations?<\/p>\n
\"Moreover, will YLBHI get involved in the current struggle
\nover, for example, the Constitution, the law on political
\nparties, or limiting the power of the military? Without
\nformulating a clear policy, YLBHI will simply become an outdated
\norganization.\"<\/p>\n
Luhut, who was with YLBHI for 18 years, once chaired its
\nJakarta office and was appointed as YLBHI secretary, said if
\nYLBHI decided to focus on law enforcement, it should also propose
\nfundamental changes to the country's corrupt judiciary and unjust
\nlegal system.<\/p>\n
Currently coordinator of Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW),
\nTeten highlighted the internal conflict that had led to a major
\nloss of YLBHI's most talented members.<\/p>\n
Such a conflict surfaces every four years after the election
\nof the new YLBHI director, ending up with the losing contender
\nwalking out of the organization.<\/p>\n
\"Such a state of affairs is a direct result of the election
\nmechanism, which limits voting rights only to members of the
\nboard of trustees. Attempts to seek electoral support can cause
\nirreversible damage to friendships,\" he remarked.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/alumni-call-on-ylbhi-to-renew-mission-1447893297",
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