The Bern Convention<\/p>\n
Barring some unforeseen circumstances, it now appears certain
\nthat Indonesia will soon -- probably in a matter of days --
\nratify the 1886 Bern Convention on copyright protection. The
\nintention was announced Monday by the vice cabinet secretary of
\nthe State Secretariat, Bambang Kesowo.<\/p>\n
The proposal to ratify the document has been sent to the
\nPresident and discussions relating to the possible effects and
\nimplications of the step have been held with the minister of
\njustice as well as the attorney general and the chief of the
\nNational Police.<\/p>\n
The general instruments of accession to the Bern Convention
\nare expected to be deposited by the government with the World
\nIntellectual Property Organization (WIPO) director general on
\nThursday. At the same time similar documents will be delivered to
\nsix other WIPO conventions on the protection of intellectual
\nproperty.<\/p>\n
Critics may argue that the step is long overdue, coming at
\nleast two decades late. Nevertheless, it is no exaggeration to
\nsay that by acting, Indonesia is taking yet another step toward
\nformally joining the world community of respected nations.<\/p>\n
Today more than ever, intellectual property -- which
\nessentially comprises the works of writers, musicians, artists
\nand other creative individuals -- needs safeguarding to ensure
\nthe protection of the works' creators as well as the media
\nthrough which their works reach the public.<\/p>\n
It is indeed ironic that while making such creative works more
\naccessible to us, modern technology also makes it easier for the
\nunscrupulous to copy works, thereby depriving the creators of the
\nremuneration they deserve.<\/p>\n
Here in Indonesia, one does not have to look far to see the
\ndamage that piracy inflicts on such institutions as publishing
\nhouses and producers. Confiscation of unauthorized published or
\nissued material notwithstanding, complaints are still regularly
\nheard from book publishers and music cassette and compact disc
\n(CD) producers that their businesses are being seriously hurt by
\npiracy.<\/p>\n
Figures obtained from the International Federation of
\nPhonograph Industries, for example, show that at least 9 percent
\nof imported music cassettes and CDs are pirated. And while
\nreliable recent figures for domestically produced cassettes and
\nCDs are more difficult to obtain, one can surmise that the
\nsituation here is not much better.<\/p>\n
Under the circumstances, it is little wonder that so few
\nIndonesian scholars, for example, aspire to write textbooks. In
\nthe final analysis, it is not only publishers and writers who
\nsuffer, but society as a whole as well. It should be easy enough
\nto see that the same principles also work on a wider scale,
\nnamely globally.<\/p>\n
It must be said, though, that in past years and decades, steps
\nwere taken toward better copyright protection, and action has
\nfrom time to time been taken to enforce the regulations, such as
\nthrough raids on establishments selling pirated computer
\nsoftware, music cassettes and laser discs. In March, the House of
\nRepresentatives revised the already existing copyright, trademark
\nand patent laws to conform with the World Trade Organization's
\nAgreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property
\nRights.<\/p>\n
It is probable that international pressure helped spur the
\ngovernment into taking the step of ratifying the century-old Bern
\nConvention. On the other hand, it is true that more and more
\npeople are beginning to realize the need for effective protection
\nof literary and artistic works -- in other words, of intellectual
\nproperty rights. Whatever the motive, the step which the
\ngovernment is taking is not only judicious, but timely.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-bern-convention-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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