Indonesia fires back at U.S. human rights rap<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government hit back strongly yesterday at
\nthe U.S. State Department's critical report on human rights in
\nIndonesia, saying it reflected an imbalanced and biased view of
\nthe human rights situation in the country.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the
\nreport contained misperceptions regarding the policies of the
\nIndonesian government and its conduct and was replete with
\ninaccuracies which reflected a simplistic and superficial grasp
\nof the facts regarding various cases cited.<\/p>\n
"The report also fails to account for the socio-cultural
\nsensitivities and historical particularity of Indonesia,
\nresulting in the report's ethnocentric tendency in measuring the
\ncondition of human rights in Indonesia," the statement said.<\/p>\n
The strongly worded statement is the government's response to
\nthe State Department's report on human rights around the world in
\n1997, issued late last month.<\/p>\n
"Despite a surface adherence to democratic forms, the
\nIndonesian political system remains authoritarian," the report
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
"Pervasive corruption remains a problem ... The authorities
\nmaintained their tight grip on the political process, and in the
\nMay election, as in the previous five held since 1971, denied
\ncitizens the ability to change their government democratically,"
\nit continued.<\/p>\n
The report was released as President Clinton is seeking
\nCongress backing for his support of an International Monetary
\nFund (IMF) rescue package to Indonesia and other Asian countries
\nhit by the regional financial upheaval.<\/p>\n
Washington has pledged US$3 billion of the IMF's $43 billion
\npackage to Indonesia. Many Congress representatives have
\ncriticized the policy, saying the U.S. should not be involved in
\nthe IMF program.<\/p>\n
The ministry's statement also said: "It is inconceivable that
\nthe U.S. feels privileged to continue to systematically target a
\nnumber of developing countries like Indonesia as the violators of
\nhuman rights of their own peoples.<\/p>\n
"It does not only arrogate themselves the right to patronize
\nand pass judgment on another group of countries which enjoy full
\nrights to an equal status, but it also resorts to a false prism
\nwhich is solely based on their own experience when they seek to
\njudge situations which are completely different from those
\naffecting their own societies."<\/p>\n
The State Department also mentioned improvements in human
\nrights here, including the government's improving tolerance of
\nits critics.<\/p>\n
Indonesia was upset with the statement in the report saying
\nthat the country's philosophy of Pancasila is "used to limit
\ndissent".<\/p>\n
"Indonesia's adherence to basic human rights and fundamental
\nfreedom is clear and unequivocal for it flows from Pancasila,"
\nthe foreign ministry statement said. (prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-fires-back-at-us-human-rights-rap-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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