Indonesia set to ratify antidiscrimination convention<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives began deliberation
\non Wednesday of a United Nations convention against all forms of
\nracial discrimination.<\/p>\n
Minister of Justice Muladi told the House plenary session
\nhearing the first reading of the ratification draft that the
\ngovernment wished to establish a legal basis for it to eradicate
\ndiscriminative acts on the basis of ethnic origin.<\/p>\n
"We want all Indonesians to have no fear of any discriminative
\nacts. As stated in the United Nations declaration of human
\nrights, everyone is entitled to freedom, regardless of their skin
\ncolor, race, nationality or other aspects of their background,"
\nMuladi said.<\/p>\n
Six months ago President B.J. Habibie ordered a halt to
\ndiscriminative policies based on race in his administration.<\/p>\n
Chinese-Indonesians, despite their economic clout, have for
\ndecades been chief targets of discrimination, which climaxed in
\nthe riots in May last year. Ethnic Chinese businesses were
\nattacked and looted and Chinese-Indonesian women suffered sexual
\nabuse.<\/p>\n
Chinese-Indonesians often complain the government
\nsystematically treats them as second-class citizens. Some have
\nsaid they still experience difficulties in processing documents
\ndespite Habibie's instruction. Careers in the military and
\ngovernment bureaucracy are practically closed to them.<\/p>\n
If everything goes as expected, the House will ratify the UN
\nconvention before it ends its current sitting on April 1.<\/p>\n
Muladi said that once the convention was ratified, a review
\nwould be needed on several policies in economic, social,
\ncultural, political, educational and administrative fields.<\/p>\n
"We may need to declare that every discriminative act is
\nconsidered a crime. We should also familiarize antidiscrimination
\namong the people," Muladi said.<\/p>\n
In a presidential instruction dated Sept. 16, Habibie ordered
\nministers, heads of state agencies, governors, mayors and regents
\nto dispense with the terms pribumi (indigenous) and nonpribumi
\n(nonindigenous).<\/p>\n
The instruction has been framed "to give equal treatment and
\nservice to all Indonesian citizens ... and to remove
\ndiscrimination in any form or degree, whether based on tribal,
\nreligious, racial affiliations or origins".<\/p>\n
There has been little response to the instruction from lower
\nlevels of the administration.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, House Commission II on administrative affairs
\nagreed to pass eight bills on the formation of 11 regencies and
\nmayoralties. Among the mayoralties are Cilegon and Depok in West
\nJava and regencies including Singkil and North Luwu in Aceh.
\n(edt)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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