Rights commission to help settle riot insurance claims<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The National Commission on Human Rights says it
\nis ready to support insurance claims from traders whose property
\nand goods were damaged or lost during the July riots.<\/p>\n
Asmara Nababan, a member of the commission, told The Jakarta
\nPost on Saturday that the commission will issue letters to
\nsupport the claims, if that is what is needed to secure
\ncompensation.<\/p>\n
Nababan reiterated the commission's earlier appeal to the
\ngovernment and insurance companies to look beyond the formalities
\nof insurance claim procedures when dealing with the traders.<\/p>\n
They should take humanitarian aspects into consideration, he
\nsaid, noting that the claimants include small vendors.<\/p>\n
\"We appeal to their sense of solidarity,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Nababan was responding to comments by Munir Sjamsoedin, the
\nhead of the Indonesian Insurance Council, published in Terbit on
\nFriday which said the commission should issue a letter in support
\nof the claims filed by the traders.<\/p>\n
The letter could be used by insurance companies, if they
\ndecide to pay, to initiate court actions later against those held
\nresponsible for the riot, said Munir.<\/p>\n
He did not reject the human rights commission's appeal to pay
\nup, but said the council was closely watching the current trial
\nof people blamed for the riot.<\/p>\n
\"The council is waiting for the court verdict,\" he said
\nreferring to the trial of over 100 people blamed for the riot
\nwhich left five people dead.<\/p>\n
Insurance companies have told traders they have a valid claim
\nonly if their policy covered what is known in the industry as
\nRMDS, which stands for riots, malice, damages and strikes.<\/p>\n
Most of the insurance policies held by traders did not include
\nthis clause. Many traders, particularly small vendors, did not
\neven have insurance policies.<\/p>\n
Shop owners have said their losses ranged between Rp 600
\nmillion ($255.000) and Rp 5 billion ($2.1 million) each. Street
\nvendors say their losses were between Rp. 3 million and Rp. 10
\nmillion. Car showrooms, a musical instrument store, a drugstore,
\na supermarket, and several banks were razed during July 27 riots.<\/p>\n
The city administration estimated that total material losses
\namounted to more than Rp 100 billion. The administration said 34
\nbuildings were destroyed, 134 vehicles and seven motorcycles were
\nburnt, and public facilities such as pay phones, traffic lights
\nand parks were severely damaged.<\/p>\n
Nababan said the commission is also appealing to the
\ngovernment to provide some compensation for street vendors
\nbecause most of them did not have insurance.<\/p>\n
Help could be provided by the Ministry of Cooperatives and
\nSmall Enterprises, the Ministry of Social Services, and the
\nMinistry of Industry and Trade, he said.<\/p>\n
Other organizations or bodies, including non-governmental
\norganizations, could also lend a hand to the street vendors, he
\nadded. (16)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rights-commission-to-help-settle-riot-insurance-claims-1447893297",
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