Canberra to help public campaign<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA: Australia is allocating A$250,000 to projects
\naimed at facilitating the establishment of a civil society in
\nIndonesia, an Australian official says.<\/p>\n
Richard Woolcott of the Australia-Indonesia Institute (AII)
\nsaid here Friday the fund would be used to finance the activities
\nof some post-Soeharto non-governmental organizations (NGOs).<\/p>\n
Among programs to be prioritized in the \"civil society
\nproject\", Woolcott said, was the campaign for the implementation
\nof international conventions on human rights.<\/p>\n
Assistance will also be given to organizations advocating
\nwomen's rights by, for instance, establishing trauma and rape
\nvictims centers. NGOs active in promoting legal assistance and
\nreform in the judiciary, environmental protection, electoral
\nreform and promotion of cooperatives will also receive help.<\/p>\n
Woolcott said it was urgent that Indonesia, in its quest for
\ndemocratization, establish a civil society.<\/p>\n
\"Australia believes it is important to respond to the ongoing
\ncrisis and changes in Indonesia,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The AII decision to direct its attention toward a campaign for
\na civil society followed consultations with the government and
\nvarious NGOs.<\/p>\n
\"Australia supports democratization here, but it is
\nIndonesians themselves who must decide how to go about achieving
\na civil society,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Australia-Indonesia Institute was set up in 1989 to foster
\nbetter people-to-people relations between the two countries. The
\ninstitute sponsors media exchanges and scholarship for
\njournalists. (23)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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