House gets support on UN convention<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government has given its support to the
\nHouse of Representatives' initiative to ratify the draft law on
\nthe UN Convention Against Torture as part of its action plan to
\nimprove the observance of human rights in the country.<\/p>\n
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas said the government's
\ndecision to ratify the UN convention had been taken out of
\nrespect for the right of all people to be free from the threat of
\ntorture.<\/p>\n
\"This can be achieved only by enforcing the law and upholding
\njustice,\" he said in a hearing with House's Commission I on
\ninformation and foreign affairs here yesterday.<\/p>\n
He said that the convention was one of three international
\ntreaties which the government had given priority to ratify as
\npart of its action plan on human rights.<\/p>\n
President Habibie launched the action plan on June 25, 1998.<\/p>\n
The other two treaties given priority for ratification are the
\nUN Convention on Racial Discrimination and the Covenant on
\nEconomic, Social and Cultural Rights.<\/p>\n
The House recently, for the first time, used its right of
\ninitiative to propose the ratification of the convention which
\nIndonesia actually signed in 1985.<\/p>\n
The UN convention states that all state signatories must take
\neffective legislative, administrative or other measures to
\nprevent all kinds of torture in any territory under their
\njurisdiction, and ensure that all acts of torture are offenses
\nunder their criminal laws.<\/p>\n
The convention also stipulates the need to establish a
\nnational commission against torture to which reports of
\nviolations can be reported.<\/p>\n
The convention states that a commission comprised of six
\nexperts should be established within six months of ratification.<\/p>\n
Alatas said that despite ratifying the convention, the
\nIndonesian government would issue a declaration delineating the
\ncommission's tasks and a reservation about arbitration through
\nthe International Court of Justice.<\/p>\n
\"The reservation will be issued to assert Indonesia's
\nsovereignty over its territory, including East Timor,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Alatas also said that Indonesia would propose a reservation on
\nthe settlement of disputes with other countries over the
\nimplementation of Article 30 on arbitration of the International
\nCourt of Justice.<\/p>\n
\"We will forward a reservation because we do not accept
\nautomatic, compulsory jurisdiction,\" he said, citing that only 60
\nof 185 UN's member countries had accepted such terms. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-gets-support-on-un-convention-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}