NGO activists reject antiterrorism bills<\/p>\n
A'an Suryana and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) expressed opposition on
\nMonday to antiterrorism bills soon to be submitted to the House
\nof Representatives for deliberation, saying the draconian bills
\nthreatened both democracy and human rights.<\/p>\n
The NGOs insisted that existing laws were sufficient to
\nsupport the country's war against terrorism, provided that
\nappropriate amendments were made to the regulations.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the House repeated on Monday its call for the
\ngovernment to submit the antiterrorism bills for deliberation.<\/p>\n
House Speaker Akbar Tandjung and his deputy, Soetardjo
\nSoerjogoeritno, urged the government to submit the bills as soon
\nas possible.<\/p>\n
\"We are asking the government to submit the bills soon so that
\nthe government regulations in lieu of antiterrorism laws will not
\nbe in effect for too long,\" Akbar said.<\/p>\n
The government plans to submit to the House for deliberation a
\nbill on antiterrorism and another on the implementation of an
\nantiterrorism bill dealing with the Bali bombings.<\/p>\n
The contents of the bills are similar to the two antiterrorism
\nregulations issued earlier by the government. The regulations
\nhave been widely criticized by rights activists.<\/p>\n
According to Akbar, the submission of the antiterrorism bills
\nto the House would help reduce the controversy surrounding the
\nissuance of the two regulations.<\/p>\n
\"We can change some of the articles in the bills considered to
\nbe contentious,\" Akbar said.<\/p>\n
Soetardjo said the issuance of the government regulations was
\naimed at bypassing the usually long process of deliberating bills
\nin the House; a process made longer when the government fails to
\ndeliver bills to the House in a timely manner.<\/p>\n
\"Until today we have not received the antiterrorism bills
\n(from the government),\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to rights activist Todung Mulya Lubis, terrorism is
\nadequately covered by existing regulations, including the Law on
\nExplosives, the Law on Money Laundering, the Criminal Code
\nProcedures and the Law on Banking Secrecy.<\/p>\n
Todung urged the public to increase the pressure on the House
\nto prevent the bills from being passed into law.<\/p>\n
He said this effort must include pressure on House members to
\namend existing laws and regulations rather than drafting new
\nantiterrorism bills.<\/p>\n
\"Public consultation should now be promoted and expanded to
\npoint out the details of the amendments, including which new
\nclauses need to be attached to existing regulations,\" Todung said
\nduring a discussion on Monday organized by human rights watch
\nImparsial.<\/p>\n
If the bills are passed into law, which carry even more weight
\nthan regulations, it could aggravate the situation in the
\ncountry, said Todung.<\/p>\n
\"State terrorism might eventually occur if the bills are
\npassed into law,\" he warned.<\/p>\n
Munir, an executive of the Committee for Missing Persons and
\nVictims of Violence, agreed, saying that both the antiterrorism
\nbills and the regulations would undermine the country's fledgling
\ndemocracy and human rights.<\/p>\n
The regulations, in particular, give security forces wide-
\nranging powers, including the power to arrest any one suspected
\nof links to terrorist networks.<\/p>\n
These powers could threaten the country's fragile democracy
\nbecause they are open to abuse, Munir said.<\/p>\n
According to Munir, the regulations are dangerous because they
\nunfairly link particular ethnic groups and religions with
\nterrorism.<\/p>\n
He did not go into detail, but the recent arrests of several
\nMuslim hard-liners has caused a public uproar.<\/p>\n
\"It is feared this stereotyping could lead to wrongful
\narrests, violating human rights,\" Munir said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ngo-activists-reject-antiterrorism-bills-1447893297",
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