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)