Government proposes human rights charter<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government introduced yesterday a charter on
\nhuman rights and presented it for deliberation to all five
\nfactions of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) which kicks
\noff its first general session today.<\/p>\n
If approved, this will be the Assembly's first deliberation on
\nhuman rights ever.<\/p>\n
Secretary-general of the National Defense and Security Council
\nSoekarto said yesterday that the charter, along with the
\ncouncil's draft of State Policy Guidelines, was the government's
\nresponse to public aspirations.<\/p>\n
"We won't claim that the proposals are purely our own. We're
\njust facilitating in relaying the public's wishes to the
\nAssembly," Soekarto said.<\/p>\n
He said it took the council years to draw up the draft, the
\nprocess of which included hearings with experts, mass
\norganizations, religious leaders, the Armed Forces and political
\norganizations.<\/p>\n
The council is made up of experts of various disciplines,
\nmilitary scholars and others. President Soeharto chairs the
\ncouncil.<\/p>\n
The 1,000 MPR members will start deliberation on the State
\nPolicy Guidelines shortly after their induction today. They will
\nregroup in March to endorse the guidelines and elect a president
\nand vice president.<\/p>\n
Golkar has 488 seats, the United Development Party 134, the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party 16, the Armed Forces 113, and
\nregional representatives 149. The government has also named 100
\nMPR members representing various mass organizations, institutions
\nand professions.<\/p>\n
In 1966, the Provisional People's Consultative Assembly
\nprepared a draft human rights charter, but deliberation on the
\ndocument was later dropped because the body had to prioritize a
\nseries of measures to restore order following the communist coup
\nattempt in 1965.<\/p>\n
According to the National Defense and Security Council,
\nIndonesia has its own interpretation and stance on human rights.
\nIt maintains, however, its respect for the Universal Declaration
\nof Human Rights.<\/p>\n
The council says human rights include the right to live,
\nreproductive rights, self-development rights, equal justice
\nrights, freedom rights, security rights and the right to welfare.<\/p>\n
However, the charter says individuals also have inseparable
\nobligations, including those concerning national defense,
\nenvironmental preservation and state order.<\/p>\n
The draft charter is made up of 33 articles plus an
\nintroduction. If the Assembly adopts the draft into one of its
\ndecrees, it will then serve as a source for lower-level
\nregulations.<\/p>\n
The issue of human rights has in the past put Indonesia in hot
\nwater, especially in its relation to other countries that linked
\nthe protection of human rights to other issues.<\/p>\n
Indonesia established the National Commission on Human Rights
\nin 1993, whose main duty is to find human rights violations and
\nsuggest recommendations for action to the government. The body
\nhas grown to be respected and has become a source of hope for
\nmany people who need help.<\/p>\n
Last March the government cold-shouldered the United Nations
\nCommission on Human Rights' plan to open an office here. (amd)<\/p>",
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