British MPs probe human rights and E. Timor

JAKARTA (JP): A British parliamentary delegation held a meeting with members of the National Commission on Human Rights Monday evening with probing questions about the way human rights are being observed in Indonesia, including East Timor.

The six-member delegation, led by Patrick Nichols, came armed with allegations of rampant human rights violations in Indonesia, something which they received from press reports in Britain, said Charles Himawan, one of the commission's members who met the British MPs.

The press reports about human rights conditions in Indonesia have been largely negative, giving the British people an impression that local media did not dare to criticize the government, Himawan said yesterday.

"The delegation said that the purpose of their visit is to help the government of Indonesia inform the people in Britain about the implementation of human rights in Indonesia because the reports which reached them were really negative," Himawan said.

He said that the commission told the delegates that press freedom in Indonesia was not as bad as what they learned. As an example, local newspapers had published the commission's criticism of the government in the case of the murder of labor activist Marsinah, and in the banning of Tempo news weekly in June, Himawan said.

"They were very surprised and asked for some newspaper clippings so that they could ensure their colleagues in Britain that the restrictions against the Indonesian press were not as bad as they thought," he said.

On East Timor, the MPs asked the commission about the number of people who died and disappeared after clashes between the civilians and military. They raised the question based on the great difference between the foreign reports and the official statements about the number.

"I can't say that it's wrong because we are still digging out facts about what has happened in East Timor," Himawan said.

He added that the commission had sent its members to the province to investigate since it's formation in December.

The British delegation is scheduled to visit East Timor this week.

The other issues they raised were freedom of speech, ethnic discrimination, a defendant's right to legal counsel, and the independence of the National Commission on Human Rights.(sim)