Office of rights body opens in Dili<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): East Timor's first branch office of the National
\nCommission of Human Rights was officially opened in Dili,
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
The secretary of the provincial administration, Radjakarina
\nBrahmana, symbolically handed over the office keys to two
\ncommission members, BN Marbun and Clementino dos Reis Amaral.<\/p>\n
The simple ceremony took place at the new office in the Akait
\nBuilding, located in the office complex of the provincial
\nadministration, the Antara news agency reported.<\/p>\n
Not long after riots, flared by religious sentiments, last
\nSeptember, Commission members aired the idea of a Dili office to
\nsettle problems more quickly.<\/p>\n
Marbun said the Dili office would balance reports on alleged
\nhuman rights violations from various parties.<\/p>\n
\"...the branch office of the Commission here will enable a
\nmore balanced inflow of information about human rights violations
\nfound either by the Commission, the International Committee of
\nthe Red Cross, the Roman Catholic Church or other private
\nparties,\" he said.<\/p>\n
But he stressed the establishment of the office would not mean
\nan immediate solution to the many problems of the country's
\nyoungest province.<\/p>\n
He said as a branch, the office has no authority to make
\ndecisions.<\/p>\n
Its staff are only entitled to accept complaints and make
\nobservations, and report to the head office in Jakarta, he added.<\/p>\n
Support<\/p>\n
Marbun also said the opening of the branch office received
\nmuch support from various parties.<\/p>\n
Among the supporters were Dili Bishop Felipe Ximenes Belo, the
\ndistrict attorney office and the district Court.<\/p>\n
\"We will do our best to realize the justice system here, to
\nenable it render services which are the rights of the people
\nhere,\" Marbun said.<\/p>\n
Clementino said earlier that Governor Abilio Jose Osorio
\nSoares and military authorities have also expressed their
\nsupport.<\/p>\n
\"We met the Governor, the military chief Col. Mahidin Simbolon
\nand Police Chief Col. Sugianto Andreas... and they said 'go
\nahead' and 'no problem',\" Clementino was quoted by Antara as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
On Sunday Clementino, Marbun and another Commission member,
\nMuladi, met with the Chief of the Udayana regional military
\ncommand Maj. Gen. H.A. Rivai and the Nusa Tenggara Police Chief
\nMaj. Gen. Hartoyo.<\/p>\n
After the ceremony, Marbun told reporters that the branch's
\npersonnel will begin working in March.<\/p>\n
\"By March we will have one of our staff members here, with two
\nEast Timorese employees,\" Marbun said.<\/p>\n
In response to who would be suitable to head the office,
\nClementino said the most important criteria is that the person
\nshould be neutral.<\/p>\n
\"Neutrality is our foremost (criteria), we don't care what his
\nor her ethnic background is,\" Antara quoted Clementino.<\/p>\n
The person could be from anywhere such as from Aceh, Java or
\nSumatra, said Clementino, who is a native East Timorese.<\/p>\n
He also said the Dili Commission branch will not primarily
\nreceive reports from East Timorese.<\/p>\n
\"Our commitment is to serve everyone who feels their rights
\nhave been violated, regardless of their origin or religion,\"
\nClementino said. (anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/office-of-rights-body-opens-in-dili-1447893297",
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