Human rights body opens office in Dili<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The widely-acclaimed National Commission on
\nHuman Rights opened yesterday its first branch office in Dili,
\nEast Timor, as a way to help dispel internationally bad publicity
\non the region's poor record of human rights.<\/p>\n
Commission Secretary-General Baharuddin Lopa acknowledged that
\nthe office was opened because of the many reports of rights
\nviolations in the province it has received over past years. He
\nalso admitted that the reports often became international issues
\nand strained Indonesia's foreign relations.<\/p>\n
\"Some of the reports were proven to be true while others were
\nbaseless,\" Lopa said.<\/p>\n
Lopa inducted Alex Refialy yesterday as the chief of the newly
\nestablished office.<\/p>\n
Lopa said the Dili rights office will be expected to help
\ndispel reports of violations which are often blown out of
\nproportion. It is also expected to be a credible and trustworthy
\nsource of information for both local and international
\ncommunities, he said.<\/p>\n
According to East Timor Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares,
\nthe province is often exposed as a trouble spot where human
\nrights abuses occur. \"East Timor is an international issue, and
\nevery incident that occurs here is often exploited,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Alex Refialy is a retired prosecutor who served at various
\nprovincial Prosecutor's Offices including Ambon, Denpasar and
\nEast Timor over the past 30 years.<\/p>\n
Besides Alex, two more personnel are expected to support the
\noffice's function, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
The former Portuguese colony of East Timor was integrated into
\nIndonesia in 1976; until now, however, the United Nations still
\nrecognizes Lisbon as the administering power in the region.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has often been the target of international criticism
\nfor its human rights record in the province. Over the past
\nseveral years, rioting and a number of killings of anti-
\nintegration protesters by Indonesian troops have taken place. The
\ncommission, however, has been quick to investigate the incidents.<\/p>\n
Samuel Alex Petruz, the deputy of the provincial legislative
\ncouncil, said the new office is expected to bring a fresh breeze
\nto the local community.<\/p>\n
\"Now, the local community, regardless of background, can
\ndirectly express their grievances to the office instead of having
\nto go all the way to Jakarta,\" Samuel said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the position of the commission's chairperson
\nremains empty following the death of Ali Said last month.<\/p>\n
Muladi, a member of the commission, told Antara that the
\ncommission was preparing to elect a new chairperson in August.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto appointed Said, a former attorney general
\nand justice minister, to head the then newly established 25-
\nmember commission in December 1993. One of its members has since
\ndied and has not yet been replaced.<\/p>\n
The commission has been praised by observers for its critical
\nassessment on cases ranging from land disputes to human rights
\nviolations by the military, despite initial skepticism from human
\nrights activists. (14)<\/p>",
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