Assembly okays draft on human rights

Assembly okays draft on human rights

JAKARTA (JP): A People's Consultative Assembly team completed
a draft on human rights protection yesterday to be incorporated
in the 1998/2003 State Policy Guidelines.

But one of the team members, Ismunandar, said the Assembly's
approval of the draft did not put a stop to a motion for a
separate and more powerful decree on human rights jointly lodged
by the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) and the United
Development Party (PPP).

"The endorsement is indeed progress, but the deliberation of
the PPP and PDI's bid continues. The two factions still insist
that the Assembly establish a decree on human rights, in addition
to the inclusion of human rights protection in the State Policy
Guidelines," Ismunandar of PDI said.

The seven-point draft confirms Indonesia's recognition of
basic rights for its people, which includes the right to
development, to worship, and to have a family.

In exchange for the acknowledgment of the rights, the people
bear responsibilities for the exercise of the rights, according
to the draft.

It suggests that the government ratify the 1948 Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and other related international
covenants, and enforce the law to ensure the rights protection.

Ismunandar said a separate decree on human rights would serve
as the umbrella for related laws and as the legal basis for a
review of laws which may be prone to rights abuses.

"A decree on human rights is of universal necessity,
particularly because Indonesia has come under international
scrutiny for its human rights record," he said.

The dominant Golkar faction suggested Wednesday that the
Assembly introduce a section on human rights protection in the
State Policy Guidelines, rather than establish a separate decree.

Golkar representative Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana said the new
human rights section would be included in the section on legal
development affairs.

A member of the Assembly committee in charge of State Policy
Guidelines, Soedarjanto, said yesterday the committee was
deliberating Golkar's five-point draft on human rights
protection.

"Basically, the draft is almost the same as the one approved
by our colleagues in the other committee. We consider combining
them and putting them in the legal development section," said
Soedarjanto, also from PDI.

PPP representative, Aisyah Amini, said the Moslem-based
faction would demand an exclusive section on human rights
protection.

"Human rights protection is not always related to law
enforcement. It has more relevance to people's understanding of
their rights," said Aisyah, who is also a member of the National
Commission on Human Rights.

Earlier yesterday, the Assembly ad hoc committee in charge of
nonstate policy guidelines continued its deliberation of PPP and
PDI's proposal on sociopolitical organizations.

Committee chairman Wiranto said the committee had yet to reach
an agreement on the minority factions' demand for a review of the
government's floating mass policy, thanks to opposition by
Golkar, the Armed Forces and the regional representatives
factions.

Wiranto said the committee members resolved to seek
compromises in a lobby, scheduled for today.

The Assembly will enter a recess after today's session, and
resume work on Jan. 6 next year. (amd)