RI human rights concept respected<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A top U.S. diplomat yesterday praised
\nIndonesia's concept of human rights only three days after
\nWashington criticized Jakarta for extending the prison sentence
\nof a local labor union leader convicted of instigating a riot
\nlast year.<\/p>\n
Senator Richard Lugar told panelists of a Worldnet Dialog
\nprogram that Indonesia's concept of human rights is well
\ndeveloped although there are still differences in opinion between
\nthe American people and the leadership in Jakarta over the issue.<\/p>\n
Lugar said such differences pop up from time to time because
\nmany leaders in Asia are of the opinion that economic progress
\ncan only be achieved with a very strong government hand or
\nthrough authoritarian leadership.<\/p>\n
\"The general theory of our friends in Asia is that economic
\nprogress comes only with a more authoritarian leadership and that
\nif too many choices occur or too many ventures on human rights..,
\nthen the energy of the country may be dissipated and the
\nconcerted push for economic progress might be less,\" Lugar said.<\/p>\n
The program, a long distance interview conducted through
\nsatellite link, involved panelists from South Korea, Japan and
\nIndonesia. The topic focused on \"The New Congress and U.S.
\nForeign Policy in East Asia\".<\/p>\n
Replying to one of the panelists' questions, Lugar said that
\nU.S. foreign policy should be more thoroughly engaged with the
\nrest of the world and, \"not as a dominating partner or policeman
\nbut rather as a consistent friend who is there to help that the
\nworld order progresses.<\/p>\n
Expressing his own view, he said that democracy, a market
\neconomy, and prosperity should move hand in hand.<\/p>\n
\"I believe that stability of a country comes in from fostering
\nhuman rights and economic development simultaneously, difficult
\nas that may be,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Some Western countries have strongly criticized Indonesia for
\nalleged violations of human rights and freedom of speech and
\nfreedom of the press, particularly after Jakarta banned three
\nwidely-read media, two weekly news magazines and one tabloid,
\nlast year.<\/p>\n
But Lugar said the human rights problem was not the only
\n\"argument we're having all the time.\" Although \"there have been
\ninternal disputes on the function of Indonesian democracy and
\nfree press,\" he said, Washington has been working well with
\nJakarta and the U.S. government has a lot more understanding
\nand greater interest in the Indonesian political development now
\nthan it had before.<\/p>\n
Lugar, a Republican from Indiana and member of the
\nIntelligence Committee and a long-standing member of the Foreign
\nRelations Committee, has twice visited Indonesia.<\/p>\n
During his visit in 1986, he met President Soeharto and it was
\nthen that \"President Soeharto took time to tell me about
\ndemocracy in Indonesia ... and how the political parties were
\nformed\", the senator told panelists in Jakarta, who were
\nrepresented by Hasan Sazili, vice chairman of the defense and
\nforeign affairs commission of the House of Representatives and
\nDerek Manangka, a journalist from the daily Media Indonesia.
\n(ego)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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