Canada won't link coop to rights issues<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Canada's Ambassador to Indonesia Gary J. Smith
\nclaimed that Ottawa would not link human rights issues as a
\nprecondition to economic cooperation between the two countries.<\/p>\n
"No, we won't link human rights matters with economic
\ncooperation," Smith told journalists yesterday after the closing
\nof a three-day meeting entitled Indonesia-Canada Human Rights
\nColloquium.<\/p>\n
He maintained that Canada highly regards its ties with
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
"We have very active and long-standing cooperation
\narrangements and we also cooperate actively on a political basis
\ninternationally and regionally," Smith added.<\/p>\n
Smith's remark is somewhat of a departure from Ottawa's stance
\nwhich has usually been stern regarding human rights issues with
\nIndonesia, particularly concerning East Timor. Canada is known as
\none of the strongest critics of Indonesia's policy on East Timor.<\/p>\n
Ottawa has not recognized the integration of the former
\nPortuguese colony as Indonesia's 27th province.<\/p>\n
A strong East Timor anti-integration lobby is also active in
\nCanada.<\/p>\n
In 1991, Canada was one of the first countries to take tough
\nmeasures following the Nov. 12 bloody clash in Dili, East Timor,
\nin which around 50 local people died. Ottawa suspended
\napproximately US$27.5 million worth in aid to Indonesia in
\nprotest over Indonesia's handling of the incident.<\/p>\n
A mild diplomatic rift also erupted early last year resulting
\nin an exchange of diplomatic notes between the two governments
\nover an incident in East Timor.<\/p>\n
Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Lloyd Axworthy issued a
\ndiplomatic note protesting the visit by Indonesia's then
\nambassador to Ottawa Benjamin Parwoto to the mother of a Timorese
\ndissident on Jan. 20, 1996, in Dili.<\/p>\n
Axworthy said Parwoto's visit had intimidated Theresa Galhos
\nand put pressure on her daughter, Isabel, to stop her anti-
\nIndonesian activities in Canada.<\/p>\n
Indonesia replied by expressing deep regret over Ottawa's
\nactions.<\/p>\n
Jakarta warned that it was concerned with the activities of
\n"certain parties" in Canada which could disrupt relations between
\nthe two countries.<\/p>\n
Despite the sometimes harsh exchanges, ties have generally
\nbeen sound. President Soeharto is due to visit Vancouver, Canada,
\nin a few weeks for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.<\/p>\n
During the three-day meeting which ended yesterday, officials
\nand human rights advocates gathered to exchange views on human
\nrights issues.<\/p>\n
Participants agreed that human rights is universal,
\nindivisible, interdependent and interrelated.<\/p>\n
They also agreed that independent organizations should play a
\nkey role in ensuring the promotion, protection and realization of
\nhuman rights.<\/p>\n
In his written address yesterday, Ambassador Smith said
\nindependent non-governmental organizations could be a valuable
\nbridge between the people and governments in an effort to promote
\nand protect human rights.<\/p>\n
Another important tool would be the use national human rights
\ncommissions.<\/p>\n
"We already have the two human rights commissions in our
\nrespective countries working together and this was at the request
\nof the Indonesian side," Smith said.<\/p>\n
Currently, the Canadian Human Rights Commission is assisting
\nthe Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights with the
\ndevelopment of its systems and procedures, documentation and
\nhuman rights education.<\/p>\n
The two commissions will hold their first joint seminar on
\nhuman rights in December in Jakarta, the foreign ministry's
\nformer director for International Organizations Hassan Wirajuda
\nsaid. (10)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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