Rights body rues lack of support<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Uncooperative lawmakers and law enforcers remain a persistent
\nhurdle that the National Commission on Human Rights has to clear
\nin upholding human rights in the country, the commission says.<\/p>\n
The lack of support from the two key groups has discouraged
\nthe commission's efforts in the protection of human rights,
\ncommission member Hasballah M. Saad stated prior to International
\nHuman Rights Day, which falls on Friday.<\/p>\n
Hasballah recalled the move by the Attorney General's Office
\nto scratch two high-ranking Army generals, including Gen. (ret)
\nWiranto, from the list of officers it deemed responsible for the
\natrocities in East Timor in 1999. In addition to the overall
\nlegal process of the case where not one person was held
\naccountable in the end. All suspects that stood trial for the
\nmayhem were acquitted either in a lower court or after appealing.<\/p>\n
Hasballah also said political interests had driven the House
\nof Representatives to obstruct justice as demanded by the
\nfamilies of victims of the Trisakti University and Semanggi
\nincidents in 1998.<\/p>\n
"The Trisakti, Semanggi I and Semanggi II incidents taught us
\na dear lesson on how rights abuse cases are sacrificed for
\npolitical interests," he said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Law No. 26\/2000 on the rights tribunal says the lawmakers
\ndetermine whether a crime can be classified as a crime against
\nhumanity or not.<\/p>\n
Hasballah said the commission was also powerless in monitoring
\nthe course of a court hearing, which finally delivers the
\nverdict, even if it is far from fulfilling the public's sense of
\njustice.<\/p>\n
"The recent trial of military and police officers accused of
\ncommitting rights abuses during the Tanjung Priok shooting has
\nresulted in disappointing verdicts. But what can we do about it
\nsince we are powerless to encourage judges at the court to do
\nmore?" Hasballah wondered.<\/p>\n
Due to the absence of power, the commission members are
\ndemanding a revision to Law 39\/2000 to enable the rights body to
\nconduct formal investigations into allegations of human rights
\nabuses.<\/p>\n
Hasballah said the rights body wanted similar authority to the
\nanticorruption commission, which could take over an investigation
\nfrom the police and Attorney General's Office and bring suspects
\nto trial.<\/p>\n
"We also ask the lawmakers to deliberate on the bill on
\nwitness protection. It is very crucial, given the fact that most
\nwitnesses worry about their safety after testifying," Hasballah
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
A strained budget is another problem facing the rights
\ncommission, Hasballah said. The commission reportedly has
\nproposed Rp 90 billion (US$10 million) for the next fiscal year
\nto run its daily activities and procure housing and vehicles for
\nits members.<\/p>\n
Another human rights organization, the Institute for Policy
\nResearch and Advocacy (Elsam), marked International Human Rights
\nDay with a call on the government to provide protection for
\nrights defenders, including activists, journalists, students and
\nlawyers.<\/p>\n
Elsam executive director Ifdhal Kasim said the country should
\nlearn a lesson from the death of rights campaigner Munir, who
\ndied of arsenic poisoning.<\/p>\n
"The death of Munir has sent the country to the lowest ebb of
\nefforts to uphold human rights," Ifdhal said.<\/p>\n
Elsam said it had records over the past six years, which show
\nthat most cases of violence against rights defenders occurred in
\n2001 and 2003, but nobody could guarantee if the violence would
\nsubside then.<\/p>",
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