U.S. report rights abuses<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON (Agencies): The United States yesterday issued its
\nannual human rights report which strongly criticized conditions
\nin many Asian countries including Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The State Department's 1996 annual report contained a review
\nof human rights conditions in 194 countries and territories.<\/p>\n
The report alleged that Indonesia continued to commit serious
\nhuman rights abuses in 1996, including in East Timor.<\/p>\n
Authorities maintained a tight grip on the political process,
\nlegal protections against torture were inadequate and security
\nforces continued to torture and mistreat detainees in region such
\nas Irian Jaya and East Timor, the State Department said in its
\nreport.<\/p>\n
\"The (Indonesian) government continued to commit serious human
\nrights abuses,\" the report said.<\/p>\n
In East Timor, \"there were further instances of killings,
\ndisappearances, torture and excessive use of force by the
\nmilitary and insurgents,\" it said.<\/p>\n
\"Respected observers noted a decrease in serious incidents but
\n1996 Nobel Peace Prize co-laureate Bishop Belo said that it would
\nbe a mistake to conclude that the human rights environment in
\nEast Timor was improving,\" the report said.<\/p>\n
The report also faulted the government for continuing \"to
\nimpose severe limitations on freedom of assembly and association\"
\nand said that \"in anticipation of the 1997 parliamentary
\nelections, the government took a number of actions to intimidate
\npolitical opponents.\"<\/p>\n
The report yesterday also heaped criticism on the military
\njunta that rules Myanmar with an iron fist and on Vietnam.<\/p>\n
The report said South Korea's reliance on the National
\nSecurity Law \"infringes\" on its citizens rights.<\/p>\n
It further highlighted India and Pakistan as continuing a
\npattern of minority repression.<\/p>\n
The report then accused China of effectively silencing in 1996
\nall public dissent against the communist party and the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
In its report, the State Department concluded that \"no
\ndissidents were known to be active at year's end.\"<\/p>\n
\"The Chinese government in 1996 continued to commit widespread
\nand well-documented human rights abuses, in violation of
\ninternationally-accepted norms, stemming from the authorities'
\nintolerance of dissent, fear of unrest and the continuing absence
\nof laws protecting basic freedoms,\" the report said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-report-rights-abuses-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}