Compensation row delays truth bill<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post,
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Disagreement among Cabinet ministers over compensation for the
\nvictims of past human rights abuses has delayed the submission of
\nthe truth and reconciliation commission bill to the House of
\nRepresentatives, a government official says.<\/p>\n
The draft was submitted by the Ministry of Justice and Human
\nRights to the State Secretariat six months ago but no progress
\nhas been made so far as regards its submission to the House.<\/p>\n
"There are several articles that need further discussion so as
\nto avoid differing views among Cabinet members," State Secretary
\nBambang Kesowo said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Asked whether the contentious articles included a proposal to
\nprovide compensation for the victims of past human rights
\nviolations, Bambang said: "Yes, this is one of the (contentious)
\nissues."<\/p>\n
He refused to elaborate further.<\/p>\n
Bambang gave assurances, however, that the bill would soon be
\ndiscussed with President Megawati Soekarnoputri and then
\nsubmitted to the House for deliberation.<\/p>\n
"We are planning to discuss the bill as soon as possible, but
\nsometimes it is difficult to push ahead with the schedule for
\ncertain bills," he said.<\/p>\n
The proposed truth and reconciliation commission is expected
\nto resolve past human rights violations, especially those that
\noccurred during the 32-year rule of former president Soeharto.<\/p>\n
The commission, patterned after South Africa's Truth and
\nReconciliation Commission, would select the cases to be processed
\nby identifying the facts, the victims and the perpetrators. It
\nlater would have to decide whether or not the victims or their
\nheirs would be eligible to receive compensation and the
\nperpetrators eligible for amnesty or presidential pardon.<\/p>\n
If the perpetrators refuse to apologize to the victims or the
\nvictims refuse to forgive the perpetrators, such cases would go
\nbefore the human rights tribunal.<\/p>\n
The bill requires the government to provide protection for
\nwitnesses, victims and the perpetrators of rights abuses until a
\nsettlement is reached. It also obliges the government to pay
\ncompensation and to rehabilitate the victims of rights abuses.<\/p>\n
Deputy chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights
\n(Komnas HAM) Salahuddin Wahid urged the government on Wednesday
\nto immediately iron out its differences and submit the bill to
\nthe House.<\/p>\n
"The bill will provide answers to past abuses and will help
\nbuild peace in the country," he said after a meeting with Vice
\nPresident Hamzah Haz.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, former justice minister Muladi welcomed the bill on
\nWednesday, saying that it was imperative for settling conflicts
\narising from past gross human rights violations.<\/p>\n
"We won't be able to step forward into a better future unless
\nthe people agree on reconciliation," he said.<\/p>\n
"The perpetrators must apologize to the victims and, on the
\nother hand, the victims must forgive the perpetrators because the
\nspirit of the commission is all about reconciliation and peace,"
\nMuladi said.<\/p>\n
Separately, lawyer Johnson Panjaitan of the Indonesian Legal
\nAid and Human Rights Association (PBHI), argued that the bill was
\nan attempt to exempt the perpetrators of past human rights abuses
\nfrom possible criminal charges.<\/p>\n
"The government seems to want to maintain impunity (for the
\nperpetrators of human rights violations)," Johnson said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/compensation-row-delays-truth-bill-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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