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)