Komnas HAM members to resign

Komnas HAM members to resign

JAKARTA: At least six members of the National Commission on
Human Rights (Komnas HAM) have refused to serve until 2003 and
will submit their resignations in a plenary meeting on Tuesday,
commission member Albert Hasibuan told reporters here on Friday.

The main agenda of the plenary meeting will be to decide on
the rights commission's membership as their tenure should have
ended in September 2001 based on a 1999 law.

One of the six members, who requested anonymity, said they
would stick to their plan even though it would be agreed at the
plenary meeting to allow the current 17 members to serve again.
Final selection of commission members is in the hands of the
House of Representatives.

The commission member said that there were various factors
that had led to their decision to resign, citing health problems
and a need for fresh faces.

"Moreover, 35 members would be too many," he said, referring
to the new law that increases the members from 17 to 35.

"With that many members, there would be nothing left for some
of us to do. Besides, I'm tired of the internal disputes between
the members. I'd prefer to resign," he said.

The House is currently screening Komnas HAM member candidates
and has refused to reinstall the current members without making
them undergo the selection process. --JP