Rights body called to study legal products<\/p>\n
SEMARANG (JP): A leading rights activist has called on the
\nNational Commission on Human Rights to study all legal products
\nwhich could be used to violate human rights.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a national seminar on human rights here yesterday,
\nAbdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara said that the Commission should ask
\nthe authorities to review the laws and regulations immediately.<\/p>\n
Though he did not elaborate on which regulations, many human
\nrights activists point to the Ministry of Information and its
\npress decree that has been used to ban newspapers and magazines.<\/p>\n
The seminar was jointly sponsored by the National Committee of
\nthe 50th Anniversary of Indonesian Independence, the Rights
\nCommission and the University of Diponegoro.<\/p>\n
\"To carry out the supervision job,\" Hakim said, \"the
\nCommission should consolidate itself and set up chapters in the
\nprovinces.\"<\/p>\n
He said the Commission should also watch the behavior of the
\nauthorities and how they implement civic rights.<\/p>\n
\"The Commission should also conduct regular observations of
\nhuman rights conditions in all provinces, especially in troubled
\nareas like East Timor, Aceh and Irian Jaya,\" Hakim said.<\/p>\n
He said these provinces are prone to troubles due to the high
\nfrequency of human rights violations and the absence of human
\nrights institutions there.<\/p>\n
The Commission's secretary-general, Baharuddin Lopa, told the
\nseminar that respect of human rights is also in the interest of
\nthe government, which is trying to protect its image at home and
\nabroad.<\/p>\n
According to Baharuddin, the best way for Indonesia to counter
\noutside accusations of human rights violations is \"to stop our
\nhabit of violating the basic rights, and this is especially
\nrelevant for the authorities.\"<\/p>\n
Respect starts with each individual, he said. \"Every
\nIndonesian should be able to control him or herself and not show
\nany attitude or take any action which could affect the basic
\nrights of others,\" Baharuddin said.<\/p>\n
While Minister\/State Secretary Moerdiono said in his speech
\nthat besides the continued efforts by the government to respect
\nhuman rights, there have been violations of the rights which were
\ndone by state apparatus or criminals.<\/p>\n
He said that the recent establishment of various human rights
\norganizations reflects a rising concern with the fate of
\ndemocracy, human rights and the environment.<\/p>\n
Musa Hitam, the chairman of the United Nations Human Rights
\nCommission, said at the seminar that national development is
\ninseparable from democracy because both are needed to secure
\nhuman rights for each citizen.<\/p>\n
\"But no government is expected to use poverty and backwardness
\nas reasons to violate human rights,\" said Musa, who is a veteran
\nMalaysian politician.<\/p>\n
The seminar will continue today with speeches by various
\nexperts and scholars such as Nurcholish Madjid and Franz Magnis
\nSuseno. (har\/tis)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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