Amien's plan to testify on rights record hailed

Amien's plan to testify on rights record hailed

JAKARTA (JP): A human rights campaigner and a government
official yesterday praised the willingness of Moslem leader Amien
Rais to appear before a United States congressional subcommittee
to defend Indonesia's human rights record.

"He has the capability to explain about Indonesia's human
rights record, for instance concerning the recent rioting which
led to the burning of churches and Chinese shops," Marzuki
Darusman of the National Commission on Human Rights said.

The foreign ministry's information director, Ghaffar Fadyl,
said he was hopeful Amien would ward off allegations by some
members of the U.S. Congress that Indonesia had been intolerant
concerning its citizens' religious rights.

Both were quoted by Antara as responding to Amien's statement
that he would go to the United States to testify before a
congressional hearing April 26 on an invitation from the National
Council of American Churches.

The council is opposing a bill, proposed by Congressman Frank
Wolf of Virginia and Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, that
would impose economic sanctions on Indonesia for its allegedly
poor rights record.

The council invited Amien -- an outspoken Moslem leader and
government critic who also chairs the 28 million-strong
Muhammadiyah Moslem organization -- to testify.

"God willing, I will leave to fulfill that invitation," Amien
said.

Indonesia is one of seven countries cited by groups in the
U.S. as having failed to uphold human rights values. There is
currently an effort in the U.S. to establish economic sanctions
against the seven countries.

"Should the embargo be imposed, it could take up to six years
to lift it," Amien said, describing the damage that Indonesia may
have to suffer.

Marzuki said he welcomed Amien's willingness to testify.

Ghaffar said Indonesia held similar principles with other
countries concerning the protection of human rights, and that it
was inconceivable that the country would not uphold human rights
values.

One of Marzuki's colleagues in the rights commission, Satjipto
Rahardjo, said in Central Java's capital of Semarang yesterday
that the accusations in the U.S. concerning human rights
violations in Indonesia were "groundless".

The accusations are tantamount to intervention in Indonesia's
sovereignty, he was quoted by Antara as saying.

"I oppose any such resolution or sanctions. The human rights
record here has been improving, and there's a rights commission
in Indonesia which sometimes has to stand up against the
government and the military," he said. (aan)