Human rights body opens office in Dili

JAKARTA (JP): The widely-acclaimed National Commission on Human Rights opened yesterday its first branch office in Dili, East Timor, as a way to help dispel internationally bad publicity on the region's poor record of human rights.

Commission Secretary-General Baharuddin Lopa acknowledged that the office was opened because of the many reports of rights violations in the province it has received over past years. He also admitted that the reports often became international issues and strained Indonesia's foreign relations.

"Some of the reports were proven to be true while others were baseless," Lopa said.

Lopa inducted Alex Refialy yesterday as the chief of the newly established office.

Lopa said the Dili rights office will be expected to help dispel reports of violations which are often blown out of proportion. It is also expected to be a credible and trustworthy source of information for both local and international communities, he said.

According to East Timor Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares, the province is often exposed as a trouble spot where human rights abuses occur. "East Timor is an international issue, and every incident that occurs here is often exploited," he said.

Alex Refialy is a retired prosecutor who served at various provincial Prosecutor's Offices including Ambon, Denpasar and East Timor over the past 30 years.

Besides Alex, two more personnel are expected to support the office's function, Antara reported.

The former Portuguese colony of East Timor was integrated into Indonesia in 1976; until now, however, the United Nations still recognizes Lisbon as the administering power in the region.

Indonesia has often been the target of international criticism for its human rights record in the province. Over the past several years, rioting and a number of killings of anti- integration protesters by Indonesian troops have taken place. The commission, however, has been quick to investigate the incidents.

Samuel Alex Petruz, the deputy of the provincial legislative council, said the new office is expected to bring a fresh breeze to the local community.

"Now, the local community, regardless of background, can directly express their grievances to the office instead of having to go all the way to Jakarta," Samuel said.

Meanwhile, the position of the commission's chairperson remains empty following the death of Ali Said last month.

Muladi, a member of the commission, told Antara that the commission was preparing to elect a new chairperson in August.

President Soeharto appointed Said, a former attorney general and justice minister, to head the then newly established 25- member commission in December 1993. One of its members has since died and has not yet been replaced.

The commission has been praised by observers for its critical assessment on cases ranging from land disputes to human rights violations by the military, despite initial skepticism from human rights activists. (14)