Edi calls for halt to human rights dispute
Edi calls for halt to human rights dispute
BANDUNG (JP): Minister of Defense Edi Sudrajat called on all
factions in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) over the
weekend not to spend too much time debating whether or not they
should adopt a decree on human rights.
Edi said human rights was not something new to Indonesians due
to their 350 years of adversity under Dutch and Japanese
colonialism.
"For me, whether to adopt the human rights issue in the State
Policy Guidelines or in another decree is simply a technical
matter. We have recognized human rights long before Western
countries employed the application of those rights," Edi said
after attending the 74th anniversary celebration of the country's
largest Moslem organization, Nahdlatul Ulama.
The Minister of Defense was commenting on a split in MPR's
working committee over the establishment of a decree on human
rights suggested by the National Defense and Security Council.
On Friday, the dominant Golkar faction opposed the idea of
having a decree on human rights.
Golkar has suggested that human rights be included in the
State Policy Guidelines.
Edi refused to say yesterday what his opinion was on the
matter.
"It's very obvious that the council's proposal serves as a
major input for the Assembly to improve human beings' dignity in
Indonesia," he said. "Let the Assembly discuss the proposal in a
favorable mood."
He said the 1945 Constitution's introduction proved that
Indonesia recognized human rights principles since the country's
independence.
"Those who continue to question the application of human
rights (in Indonesia) are new learners of human rights," he said.
Indonesia established the National Commission on Human Rights
in 1993, but the government has never escaped allegations of
human rights violations.
The draft of a human rights charter proposed by the President-
chaired National Security and Defense Council includes the right
to live, reproductive rights, right to development, right to
equal justice, freedom rights, security rights and the right to
welfare.
However, the charter says individuals also have inseparable
obligations, including those concerning national defense,
environmental preservation and state order. (43/amd)