Human rights commission to open office in Irian<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The National Commission on Human Rights is
\nplanning to open its second branch office, in Irian Jaya,
\naccording to Munawir Sjadzali, chairman of the body.<\/p>\n
Sjadzali, however, did not indicate when the office might
\nopen.<\/p>\n
He said the commission would first settle the manpower
\nproblems dogging the East Timor office, the first opened outside
\nJakarta, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
\"Only then could we think of taking more concrete steps to
\nopen of a representative office in Irian Jaya,\" said Munawir, who
\nwas elected chairman of the rights body a month ago.<\/p>\n
The former minister of religious affairs and a respected
\nMoslem scholar, said the plan is high on his agenda of objectives
\nfor the next five years.<\/p>\n
Human rights violations, especially those related to land
\ndisputes and the environment are rife in the province, he said.<\/p>\n
The rights body is in need of experts on agrarian law and
\nlabor law as many of the complaints filed to the commission
\nrecently, Munawir said, are related to land and labor disputes.<\/p>\n
But commission members Clementino dos Reis Amaral and Asmara
\nNababan said the plan to open a representative office in Irian
\nJaya has not been discussed.<\/p>\n
\"However, I think it is a good idea. In fact I believe ideally
\nthe commission should have representative offices across the
\ncountry. The only constraint is the budget,\" Amaral told The
\nJakarta Post yesterday.<\/p>\n
He said it is actually the people who want the rights body to
\nopen its representative office in their respective provinces.<\/p>\n
\"It's because people have learned that the House of
\nRepresentatives and provincial legislatures have not responded to
\ntheir aspirations and complaints,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Asmara welcomed the idea to open a representative office in
\nIrian Jaya, arguing that there were many human rights violations
\nin the province. (08)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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