Human rights violations lamented<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The newly-established Indonesian Legal Aid and
\nHuman Rights Association (PBHI) took note yesterday of power
\nabuses as it concluded its end of year evaluation on human rights.<\/p>\n
The association's executive director Hendardi said there was
\ndeep concern about the malfunctioning of Indonesia's legal and
\njudicial institutions and about political violence which had
\nalmost reached a critical point.<\/p>\n
His comments coincided with yesterday's 48th anniversary of
\nthe Universal Declaration of Human Rights.<\/p>\n
He said the institutions had fallen short of ensuring law
\nenforcement and justice. Instead, they have reduced themselves to
\ninstruments of the authorities.<\/p>\n
Citing the trials of the July 27 rioters Hendardi said
\njudicial proceedings were just a device to find scapegoats for
\nthe violence.<\/p>\n
The riots came after supporters of the officially-backed
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI) chairman, Soerjadi, attacked
\nand took over the party's headquarters which was occupied by
\nsupporters of Megawati Soekarnoputri, the ousted PDI chairwoman.<\/p>\n
According to the National Commission on Human Rights five
\npeople died, 149 were injured and 23 in the riots while 23 were
\nstill missing.<\/p>\n
\"It's obvious in this case that human rights violations, or at
\nleast discrimination of justice, have been permitted to go
\nahead,\" Hendardi said.<\/p>\n
He reiterated his criticism against the use of the Dutch
\ncolonial-era Subversion Law, saying Indonesia had suffered a
\nmajor setback in the development of its laws.<\/p>\n
\"As if to add insult to injury, the Attorney General, the
\nfinal bastion for justice seekers, sparked controversies by
\nquashing lower court verdicts on land disputes in Kedung Ombo,
\nCentral Java and in Irian Jaya, the ban of Tempo magazine and the
\nexoneration of labor group leader Muchtar Pakpahan,\" Hendardi
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He also lamented the government's failure to ratify the
\ninternational covenant against torture. \"The government is too
\nslow to adapt to international standards,\" Hendardi said. \"This
\nallows human rights violations conducted by law enforcing
\nbureaucrats.\" (amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/human-rights-violations-lamented-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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