Christopher praises RI's human rights body<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher
\npraised Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights yesterday
\nfor its efforts in promoting human rights here, saying the body
\nhad taken a \"strong step in the right direction\".<\/p>\n
Addressing the press before a breakfast meeting with the
\ncommission, Christopher predicted that as Indonesia's economy
\ncontinued to flourish, there would be an increase in demands for
\ngreater liberty and free expression.<\/p>\n
\"How Indonesia responds to those demands will have important
\nimplications for the future of this great country and the entire
\nregion as well,\" Christopher said.<\/p>\n
Yesterday's meeting marked the second time that Christopher --
\nwho attended the first meeting along with the late Ron Brown,
\nthen U.S. secretary of commerce -- met with the commission. The
\nfirst meeting took place in 1994 on the sidelines of the summit
\nof the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum leaders here.<\/p>\n
Christopher noted that the commission, since his last visit
\ntwo years ago, had played an important role in Indonesian society
\nin terms of investigating human rights abuses and promoting
\naccountability of those responsible.<\/p>\n
\"I'm very pleased to note the records of achievement they have
\nmade during the last two years,\" Christopher said.<\/p>\n
Miriam Budiardjo, deputy chairperson of the commission,
\nconcurred that much had indeed been achieved in the past two
\nyears. She said she hoped Christopher would take home \"a better
\npicture of what happens in Indonesia\".<\/p>\n
The U.S. secretary of state was here for annual talks between
\nthe Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the
\ngrouping's main international dialogue partners.<\/p>\n
Christopher took special note on the commission's \"staid,
\ndiscrete and careful ways of perceiving and raising human rights
\nissues\" with the government and the people in general.<\/p>\n
\"Certainly, the commission has taken extremely strong steps in
\nthe right direction,\" Christopher said, underscoring Washington's
\n\"deep interest\" in encouraging political pluralism in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
He also welcomed the commission's recent branch opening in
\nEast Timor, \"an area of special concern to the U.S. and to the
\nentire international community\".<\/p>\n
East Timor, a former Portuguese colony, integrated with
\nIndonesian in July 1976 following Portugal's withdrawal from the
\nterritory, which it colonized for four centuries.<\/p>\n
Marzuki Darusman, another deputy chairman of the commission,
\ntold journalists after the meeting that he and the other
\ncommission members briefed Christopher on various domestic human
\nrights issues, including those related to East Timor and Irian
\nJaya provinces. They also discussed press freedom, labor and
\njudicial independence and democratization.<\/p>\n
The other commission members present at the meeting were A.A.
\nBaramuli, Albert Hasibuan, Asmara Nababan, Bambang Soeharto,
\nCharles Himawan, Clementino Dos Reis Amaral, Munawir Sjadzali,
\nNurcholish Madjid and Saafroedin Bahar.<\/p>\n
Marzuki said the commission told Christopher it believed that
\nthere had been improvement in East Timor's human rights
\nsituation. \"In terms of security, East Timor is improving. People
\ncan now walk around at night and travel between towns safely,\"
\nMarzuki said.<\/p>\n
He noted similar improvement in Irian Jaya, pointing out the
\nrecent establishment by the Irian Jaya military command of a
\nspecial military guideline for dealing with human rights cases.<\/p>\n
Marzuki also told Christopher that the commission has
\nsuggested that all military commands across the country follow
\nIrian Jaya's step, in order to promote awareness of human rights
\namong military personnel.<\/p>\n
On press freedom, Marzuki said the commission had briefed
\nChristopher about legal efforts taken by journalists of Tempo in
\nfighting against a 1994 government ban on the magazine.<\/p>\n
The journalists, led by former chief editor Goenawan Mohamad,
\nlost the legal battle at the Supreme Court earlier this year
\nafter winning it at the district and high court levels last year.<\/p>\n
The commission and Christopher also discussed the recent
\nuproar over the allegation of collusion at the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
On labor issues, Marzuki said the commission believed that
\nthere has been some progress in the settling of labor disputes.
\nThe Armed Forces, he said, has exercised some restraint in
\nhandling such disputes. (rid)<\/p>",
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