Govt under fire for lack of accountability

JAKARTA (JP): Government accountability is sorely lacking in Indonesia, a condition that has allowed corruption, collusion and nepotism to flourish almost unchecked in the country, the National Commission on Human Rights said yesterday.

"Accountability in Indonesia has reached its lowest point," the commission said after a plenary meeting of its 25 members for a periodic review of the human rights situation here.

"A democratic culture requires that everyone is accountable for his/her action," it said in a statement read by secretary- general Baharuddin Lopa.

He blamed the situation on the poor control exercised by government institutions and the public, and on the government's policy of emphasizing economic development over political and legal developments in the last 30 years.

The commission said the government, for example, should be held accountable for the current economic crisis.

"Without denying its efforts to advance the national economy, the government must explain the reasons for the economic and monetary crises in clear and simple language, and explain the steps it is taking to overcome the crises."

"This is necessary to restore people's confidence in the government," it said, adding that government officials must also stop making conflicting statements that tend to insult people's intelligence.

The commission said the economic crisis has also exposed the precarious state of human rights in Indonesia.

Without pointing its finger at anyone or any group, the commission noted that during the crisis, some people tended to violate human rights, causing widespread suffering and intimidation, particularly among the poor and some minority groups.

It also noted widespread arbitrary actions and abuses of power by certain people in the government.

"People become intimidated and are afraid of exercising their natural rights. This condition could incite violence."

The commission said calls for people to channel their aspirations through existing channels became mere rhetoric because people were rendered powerless.

"The few people who had the courage to express their concerns by peaceful means were suspected (of other motives) and received poor treatment.

"The human rights condition here could only be improved if there were simultaneous economic, political and law reforms."

Separately, the Indonesian National Youth Committee (KNPI), traditionally a staunch government supporter, called for sweeping reforms to lift Indonesia out of its present crisis.

While supporting the calls for economic and political reforms, KNPI said it was more imperative that any reform be targeted at changing negative characteristics.

KNPI chairman Maulana Isman, who read the committee's statement, cited corruption, collusion, and nepotism as characteristics that reform should try to eliminate.

These "human factors" are at the root of the present crisis, he said.

The crisis has led to people losing confidence in the government and the only way to regain their confidence is through reforms in politics, economics and eradicating negative characteristics.

KNPI is an umbrella organization for more than 60 youth organizations. (byg/aan)