City to have human rights commission

City to have human rights commission

Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM) is seeking
support to establish a city chapter, considering that 60 percent
of rights abuses occur in Jakarta.

Lies Soegondo, Head of the Commission's Research Division,
said that the commission is currently handling more than 1,000
human rights violation reports and 60 percent of them were
reported here.

"It's too much for the commission. Next year we face the
general election and human rights violations will probably
increase," she said in a discussion at Komnas HAM office in
Central Jakarta.

She said that establishing Komnas HAM's city chapter would
significantly decrease the commission's burden in processing
reports on human rights abuses across the country.

The establishment of the city chapter, which should be funded
from the city budget, would also relieve the already limited
budget of the Komnas HAM, she added.

Arsani, Head of the City's Human Rights Division, said that
city administration supported the establishment of the commission
because it would promote and protect human rights in the city.

"The city council supports its establishment. Now it needs
legalization through a bylaw," he said.

However, Anton Prajasto from Demos, a human rights non-
governmental organization, said that he doubted the independence
of the provincial commission, considering that its budget would
be dependent on the city administration.

Many human rights abuses reported to Komnas HAM, such as land
and street vendor's evictions, were reportedly conducted by city
administration's officers.

But Komnas HAM member, Saafroedin Bahar, said that to
guarantee the independence of the provincial commission, the
recruitment of its members would involve fit and proper tests
conducted by the city council.

Komnas currently has representative offices in Aceh and Papua.