Indonesia to ratify human rights pacts<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will begin a five-year National Action
\nPlan on Human Rights later this month in an attempt to better its
\nmuch maligned international image on rights issues.<\/p>\n
President B.J. Habibie will officially launch the program, to
\ninclude ratification of several United Nations' conventions, on
\nJune 25 to coincide with the 1993 Vienna Action Plan Declaration.<\/p>\n
\"We hope that we can strongly impress the world with our
\nsincere and strong will to move forward and protect human
\nrights,\" Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas told journalists
\nafter meeting with Habibie at Bina Graha presidential office here
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
During the campaign, the government will speed up its efforts
\nto promote human rights awareness both among citizens and
\ngovernment officials.<\/p>\n
\"We will regularly ratify several conventions which we have
\nalready signed but not ratified, including the antitorture one,\"
\nAlatas said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has only ratified the 1948 Universal Declaration on
\nHuman Rights. It has signed the UN Convention against Torture and
\nOther Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, but
\nits ratification is still pending.<\/p>\n
Two other major conventions still to be signed by Indonesia
\nare the International Convenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
\nRights, and the International Convenant on Civil and Political
\nRights.<\/p>\n
Alatas also hinted that two East Timorese who have sought
\nrefuge at the Austrian Embassy here would not be permitted to
\nleave for Portugal without first facing a police investigation.<\/p>\n
Nuno Vicente Pereira Saldanha and Avelino Maria Coelho da
\nSilva are wanted for questioning and face possible charges in
\nrelation to bomb-making in Demak, Central Java, last year.<\/p>\n
Along with Avelino's wife and his two small children, the men
\nentered the Austrian Embassy last September and demanded asylum
\nin Portugal, the former colonial power in East Timor.<\/p>\n
\"Avelino and his friend, based on information and evidence we
\nhave, were possibly involved in the manufacturing of bombs,\"
\nAlatas said.<\/p>\n
The Semarang District Court acquitted four Timorese youths
\nearlier this month who were facing the same charges because there
\nwas no strong evidence they produced the bombs.<\/p>\n
Alatas said Avelino and da Silva would be free to travel to
\nPortugal if the police investigation found them innocent.<\/p>\n
Riots<\/p>\n
Separately yesterday, dozens of activists from Volunteers for
\nHumanity and relatives of last month's riot victims visited the
\nNational Commission on Human Rights here to urge increased
\npressure for a probe into accusations the unrest was organized.<\/p>\n
\"There has not been any effort from the government to reveal
\nwho was really behind the riots,\" Rita Serena Kolibonso said
\nbefore rights body members Clementino dos Reis Amaral and B.N.
\nMarbun.<\/p>\n
Rita, who is also coordinator of a team of lawyers for justice
\n(TPHKI) and executive director of women's rights group Mitra
\nPerempuan, criticized the government for failing to express
\nsympathy to next of kin of those who died.<\/p>\n
Most fatalities were people trapped in blazes in shopping
\ncenters.<\/p>\n
The government has quoted a \"conservative\" figure of about 500
\ndeaths, but the Volunteers of Humanity in a detailed report
\nclaims 1,200 people were killed.<\/p>\n
Rita charged the government had summarily dismissed all those
\nwho died as looters.<\/p>\n
In a eight-page report, the group stated that many victims
\nwere children who inadvertently became involved in the unrest.<\/p>\n
\"My little brother was only there to play,\" Bambang Wahyu, 24,
\nsaid of his 14-year-old brother who died inside a burning
\nshopping center in Klender, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Catholic priest Sandyawan Sumardi alleged last week that
\ndifferent reports supported a common pattern on how the riots
\nbegan.<\/p>\n
He cited witnesses who said they saw gangs of people arrive in
\ntrucks and buses to foment the rioting and looting before moving
\non to other areas.<\/p>\n
\"This is not just an emotional conclusion but results of an
\ninvestigation which was based on information from witnesses,\"
\nsaid Palupi from the Volunteers for Humanity. (prb\/byg)<\/p>",
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