Canada won't link coop to rights issues
Canada won't link coop to rights issues
JAKARTA (JP): Canada's Ambassador to Indonesia Gary J. Smith
claimed that Ottawa would not link human rights issues as a
precondition to economic cooperation between the two countries.
"No, we won't link human rights matters with economic
cooperation," Smith told journalists yesterday after the closing
of a three-day meeting entitled Indonesia-Canada Human Rights
Colloquium.
He maintained that Canada highly regards its ties with
Indonesia.
"We have very active and long-standing cooperation
arrangements and we also cooperate actively on a political basis
internationally and regionally," Smith added.
Smith's remark is somewhat of a departure from Ottawa's stance
which has usually been stern regarding human rights issues with
Indonesia, particularly concerning East Timor. Canada is known as
one of the strongest critics of Indonesia's policy on East Timor.
Ottawa has not recognized the integration of the former
Portuguese colony as Indonesia's 27th province.
A strong East Timor anti-integration lobby is also active in
Canada.
In 1991, Canada was one of the first countries to take tough
measures following the Nov. 12 bloody clash in Dili, East Timor,
in which around 50 local people died. Ottawa suspended
approximately US$27.5 million worth in aid to Indonesia in
protest over Indonesia's handling of the incident.
A mild diplomatic rift also erupted early last year resulting
in an exchange of diplomatic notes between the two governments
over an incident in East Timor.
Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Lloyd Axworthy issued a
diplomatic note protesting the visit by Indonesia's then
ambassador to Ottawa Benjamin Parwoto to the mother of a Timorese
dissident on Jan. 20, 1996, in Dili.
Axworthy said Parwoto's visit had intimidated Theresa Galhos
and put pressure on her daughter, Isabel, to stop her anti-
Indonesian activities in Canada.
Indonesia replied by expressing deep regret over Ottawa's
actions.
Jakarta warned that it was concerned with the activities of
"certain parties" in Canada which could disrupt relations between
the two countries.
Despite the sometimes harsh exchanges, ties have generally
been sound. President Soeharto is due to visit Vancouver, Canada,
in a few weeks for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
During the three-day meeting which ended yesterday, officials
and human rights advocates gathered to exchange views on human
rights issues.
Participants agreed that human rights is universal,
indivisible, interdependent and interrelated.
They also agreed that independent organizations should play a
key role in ensuring the promotion, protection and realization of
human rights.
In his written address yesterday, Ambassador Smith said
independent non-governmental organizations could be a valuable
bridge between the people and governments in an effort to promote
and protect human rights.
Another important tool would be the use national human rights
commissions.
"We already have the two human rights commissions in our
respective countries working together and this was at the request
of the Indonesian side," Smith said.
Currently, the Canadian Human Rights Commission is assisting
the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights with the
development of its systems and procedures, documentation and
human rights education.
The two commissions will hold their first joint seminar on
human rights in December in Jakarta, the foreign ministry's
former director for International Organizations Hassan Wirajuda
said. (10)