Exhibits, performances to promote human rights
JAKARTA (JP): Photography and art exhibitions and theatrical performances will be among various activities staged as part of a campaign held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Universal Human Rights Declaration.
Other activities including free movie screenings, poster and writing contests, and talks on human rights will also be part of the campaign to increase public awareness of the issue.
The campaign, which will be held between Sept. 7 and Dec. 10 in 11 cities in Java, has been set up by 19 non-government organizations with the theme "peace in plurality," organizers said here on Thursday.
The targeted cities include Jakarta; Bandung in West Java; Surabaya, Jember, Kediri in East Java; Solo and Purwokerto in Central Java; and Yogyakarta. Other cities may be added with the help of local organizations.
"We want to socialize respect for human rights into people's everyday lives," Ita Fatia Nadia from the Kalyanamitra women's organization said.
The 19 non-government organizations (NGOs) who have set up the campaign include the Jakarta Social Institute (ISJ), the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM), the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), the Indonesian Women's Coalition for Justice and Democracy, the Solidarity Forum for East Timor (FORTILOS) and the Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ).
Other NGOs representing religious groups include the Indonesian Association of Moslem Students (PMII) and the Christian Service Network (JKLPK).
On June 26, President B.J. Habibie launched a five-year National Action Plan on Human Rights. He said promoting respect for human rights would require an effort on the parts of both the government and society at large.
The government has yet to ratify the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Recent reports have focused on violations of human rights including kidnaping, rape and violence that occurred in the run up to and during the May riots and in military operation areas in East Timor and Aceh.
"Human rights should be upheld and protected," said Bambang Widjojanto, who heads YLBHI.
He said four major aspects of the New Order government's ideology, namely militarism, patriarchy, discrimination and the culture of imposing a single interpretation, had led to human rights violations.
The leaflet gave examples of a "culture of single interpretation" including the interpretation of the state ideology and others which "led to the death of creativity."
Patriarchy, the handout said, "was institutionalized" in the New Order, leading to a limitation of women's role in society.
Bambang also said that violence became common in the New Order era during a media conference held to announce the campaign at ELSAM's office.
Asmara Nababan, who is education secretary at the National Commission on Human Rights, outlined the commission's efforts at public education to date at the media conference.
"We held workshops on human rights for 50 teachers in Cianjur (West Java) and 30 teachers in Ujungpandang (South Sulawesi) in June," Asmara told the media.
Human rights workshops were also held for around 100 police and military personnel in May, he said, adding that the results of the workshops would be evaluated in November. (01)