Deepening poverty 'biggest threat to human rights'

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas warned on Wednesday that deepening poverty caused by East Asia's financial meltdown poses the biggest threat to human rights.

"It stirs up social and political turmoil, spreads inequities, injustice and deprivation and could even trigger mass migrations across borders," Alatas said.

"Under the yoke of poverty, the inherent dignity of the human being cannot flourish," he told a two-day workshop organized by the British and Indonesian governments and the European Commission.

Under Soeharto's successor, President B.J. Habibie, Indonesia is pursuing democratic reforms while trying to cope with an economic crisis that has left millions of people jobless and sent prices sky-high.

"We are today confronted by poverty that is more rampant than ever. In East Asia alone, tens of millions have lost their jobs in the past 15 months, forcing millions of households into a lower quality of life, driving millions of children out of school and into premature employment in factories," Alatas said.

He said the total number of people living below the poverty line has been estimated at more than two billion. "This means that nearly 40 percent of the human race, the part that lives in the developing world, is bereft of human rights or barely exercising these rights by reason of poverty alone," he added.

These gloomy statistics reflect the inequities and imbalances of international economic relations that the international community has long sought to redress, he said.

In his speech, Alatas echoed a Soeharto-era theme that human rights must respect the needs of the community, not only the individual, as well as customs unique to Indonesia. The nation of 202 million people will not be dictated to, he said.

"International cooperation on human rights can only work as a partnership between equals," he said. "No one sits in judgment."

British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook sent a message of support to the meeting which was read out by British Ambassador to Indonesia Robin Christopher.

Cook said that despite the serious economic difficulties which Indonesia is facing, the government has embarked on an ambitious program of political reform.

"There is a new sense of liberty. Democratic elections will be held next year. The Indonesian press is enjoying new and unfettered freedom," he said.

"The fact that it is taking place at all symbolizes the new era of change in Indonesia, so this workshop is particularly well timed," Cook said.

The joint chairman of the workshop, rights campaigner Marzuki Darusman, said hard questions should be asked about the balance of rights and responsibilities involving the relationship and interests of the collective community and the private individual.

Indonesia accepts international norms in human rights, but its record remains under international scrutiny, Marzuki, who is also deputy chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights, said.

He said that although many discussions, ideas, and thoughtful arguments have been exchanged, there is no simple explanation to answer the question of the future of human rights in Indonesia.

"It is our wish that this workshop will generate more than just rhetoric or idealistic view of how human rights should be promoted in Indonesia," Marzuki said.

People have recently been shocked by revelations of a multitude of rights violations allegedly committed by the military during the 32-year rule of former president Soeharto.

The workshop was attended by more than 100 participants comprising of human rights activists, officials, and experts from Indonesia and European countries such as Britain, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden and Italy.

The first-day session featured four working group sessions discussing police and the judiciary, women's and children's rights, education, awareness and institution building and labor rights.

The four groups are to present their reports on Thursday, the last day of the workshop. (byg)