Economic, political reforms must work together<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Economic reforms made to deal with the lingering
\neconomic crisis will only succeed if they are coupled with
\ndemocratic political reforms which ensure the enforcement of law,
\nthe National Commission on Human Rights said here yesterday.<\/p>\n
In a biting three-page statement, the commission censured the
\ngovernment's failure to resolve fundamental political problems
\nwhich have aggravated the current crisis.<\/p>\n
These problems include an impotent democracy which has failed
\nto empower the people and install checks on the government, and
\nthe crippling of law enforcement which is unresponsive to the
\npeople's needs and rampant social injustices.<\/p>\n
\"The democratic, legal and social ambiguities are caused by
\nthe disabling of institutions such as the House of
\nRepresentatives, law enforcement and other social control
\napparatus,\" the commission's secretary-general Baharuddin Lopa
\nsaid, reading from the statement.<\/p>\n
He said the situation was compounded by rampant and widely
\npracticed corruption and collusion.<\/p>\n
\"The National Commission on Human Rights realizes that these
\nproblems have hampered the creation of a conducive climate toward
\nthe advancement and protection of human rights,\" Lopa said.<\/p>\n
Another commission member, Marzuki Darusman, said these
\nunderlying problems were unresolved.<\/p>\n
\"These problems have accumulated as the government has never
\nmade a serious attempt to handle them,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Lopa, however, said the commission understood that resolving
\nsuch long term problems was difficult especially when faced with
\na monetary crisis such as now.<\/p>\n
He urged that economic and political reform be conducted in
\nunison.<\/p>\n
The commission urged government and military officials to be
\nmore prudent in making public statements so as to avoid creating
\npublic confusion, uneasiness and uncertainty.<\/p>\n
\"Officials should make transparent, honest and consistent
\nstatements,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Lopa said the government should also start a national movement
\nto curb private sector debts which are widely believed to be one
\nof the causes of the economic crisis.<\/p>\n
He said the government should implement labor intensive
\nprograms immediately to reduce the rising tide of unemployment.<\/p>\n
The commission further urged the government to establish an
\nemergency social fund to subsidize the millions of people who
\nhave lost their jobs.<\/p>\n
The number of unemployed this year is expected to reach 5.8
\nmillion.<\/p>\n
The commission also said the government appeared to react
\nsluggishly and lack coordination when dealing with its many
\nproblems such as social unrest, famine and forest fires. (10)<\/p>",
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