Soesilo's rights body remarks spark comment<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Maj. Gen. (ret) Samsudin, one of the four
\nnewest members of the National Commission on Human Rights,
\nconcurred with a government official's recent criticism that the
\ncommission overstepped its boundary.<\/p>\n
Samsudin admitted yesterday that the commission has, as stated
\nby Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security
\nSoesilo Soedarman, been directly involved in settling disputes
\nrather than merely monitoring possible rights violations and
\nissuing recommendations on action to be taken.<\/p>\n
"It's true. The commission has been doing some 'operational'
\nworks," he told The Jakarta Post yesterday. However, he said that
\nthe poor performance of some relevant government agencies was one
\nof the reasons why the rights commission had to do more than its
\nprescribed job.<\/p>\n
"It happened because many institutions failed to function," he
\nsaid, without elaborating.<\/p>\n
Soesilo opened the second National Workshop on Human Rights
\nhere Wednesday, warning the rights commission for overstepping
\nits boundaries and telling it to stick to its mission.<\/p>\n
"There is an impression, still in need of verification, that
\nthe National Commission on Human Rights has been 'operationally'
\ninvolved in legal disputes," Soesilo then said.<\/p>\n
Samsudin pointed out that the commission has been doing a good
\njob handling controversial cases, such as the slaying of labor
\nactivist Marsinah and journalist Fuad Muhammad Syafruddin, and
\nthe killing of villagers in Liquisa, East Timor by Armed Forces
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
He said people's trust in the commission is steadily growing,
\nas shown by the increasing number of people requesting its help.<\/p>\n
Samsudin, however, chose not to see Soesilo's remarks as
\ncriticism. Rather, it's advice. "The commission has to receive it
\nas an input to improve its performance," he said.<\/p>\n
He also suggested that the commission start focusing more on
\nits strategic mission, namely monitoring rights violations,
\nrather than being involved in "small jobs" which Soesilo
\ndescribed as "operational work".<\/p>\n
Luhut M.P. Pangaribuan of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human
\nRights Association told the Post separately yesterday that
\nSoesilo was not being objective when he made the remarks.<\/p>\n
"He was emotional," Luhut said, adding that the commission has
\nactually met the hopes of people in need of help because their
\nrights were violated.<\/p>\n
"The commission's success in many of its tasks has earned it a
\nprestigious position in the community," he said. "The government
\nshould have praised the commission, rather than rapping it on the
\nknuckles."<\/p>\n
"The government serves the people. If the commission also
\nserves the community well, it should be praised, shouldn't it?"
\nhe said. "If it functions well, reward it."<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, commission member Albert Hasibuan said at the
\nworkshop yesterday that the multitude of reports on rights
\nviolations that the public filed with the commission is a
\ntestimony of the body's credibility.<\/p>\n
"Follow-up actions, however, should be conducted by the other
\nrelevant institutions," he said. (03)<\/p>",
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