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)