Mega okays new rights body team<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri signed a decree to formally
\napprove the appointment of 21 new National Commission on Human
\nRights (Komnas HAM) members, an official said on Monday.<\/p>\n
The decree, dated on Saturday, comes three months after the
\nHouse of Representatives endorsed the candidates for the rights
\nbody following a heavily criticized screening process.<\/p>\n
\"The decree listed the 21 members of the commission in line
\nwith their selection by the House of Representatives,\" Deputy
\nCabinet Secretary Erman Radjaguguk told The Jakarta Post on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
According to the law, the President has the final duty to
\nofficially appoint the rights body members through a presidential
\ndecree and inaugurate them.<\/p>\n
The new roster of members will be the first to be selected in
\naccordance with the law on the Commission on Human Rights passed
\nin 2000. The current Komnas HAM members were appointed directly
\nby the President.<\/p>\n
The selection process of the new Komnas HAM members sparked
\ncontroversy as the House claimed that the most experienced and
\nrespected human rights activists in the country -- Todung Mulya
\nLubis, Hendardi and Wardah Hafidz -- were not fit for the
\ncommission.<\/p>\n
Reports said that Megawati was initially opposed the
\nreelection of Djoko Sugianto, Koesparmono Irsan, Samsoeddin and
\nSaafroeddin Bahar because they had served as Komnas members twice
\npreviously.<\/p>\n
Erman, however, flatly denied the report saying that he never
\nheard such a thing and the three-month gap between the House's
\nendorsement and the issuance of the decree was simply a matter of
\npriority order. He said there were a lot of decrees that had
\nhigher priorities for the president.<\/p>\n
He added that the inauguration ceremony for the new members
\nwould take place after the President returned home from her 15-
\nday tour of Africa and Europe. Megawati and her entourage
\ndeparted on Sunday.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mega-okays-new-rights-body-team-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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