Mega receives degree, speaks out for justice

Mega receives degree, speaks out for justice

TOKYO (JP): President Megawati Soekarnoputri said on Saturday
powerful nations imposing double standards on weaker countries
was a betrayal of the norms of justice.

Not mentioning any specific nations, the President emphasized
that such unjust measures would only give rise to human suffering
and the proliferation of human rights violations.

"In the course of international relations, it is imperative
that those nations that are politically, economically and
militarily more powerful than others demonstrate to the world
their sincerity and seriousness in realizing justice and making
humanity more civilized," the President said.

Megawati made the remarks on the occasion of the conferment on
her of an honorary doctorate in law by the prestigious University
of Waseda.

According to the university president Takayasu Okushima, the
honorary doctorate is conferred on persons in recognition of
their contributions to learning, the arts, society and mankind.

Megawati was the 66th recipient of the degree. Other
recipients include former South Africa president Nelson Mandela
and former Philippine president Corazon Aquino.

"In the strongly Islamic climate of Indonesian politics, there
was strong opposition to the election of a female president.
Viewed from the standpoint of the global movement to improve the
position of woman in society, her successful struggle to overcome
such resistance and her rise to the highest position in the land
is of tremendous significance," said Okushima in a statement.

For Megawati, this was the second occasion for her to visit
the university. The first was when, at the age of 12, she
accompanied her father, Indonesia's first president Sukarno, to
address the university.

Megawati could not complete her studies at the Bandung-based
Padjadjaran University and University of Indonesia after the
political demise of her father in 1967. Soeharto's regime forced
her and some of her brothers and sisters to discontinue their
studies.

"My understanding of law does not differ from that of most
Indonesians from various walks of life. I only hope that this
honorary doctorate was conferred on me not just because I happen
to be the President of the Republic of Indonesia," Megawati said
with a smile.

Megawati noted that despite her lack of formal knowledge of
law, she had suffered bitter injustices during Soeharto's 32-year
regime and such treatment had strengthened her belief in the
supremacy of law.

"We often witness how certain people, when they have power,
oppress others because of differences in political views or
interests," Megawati said in an apparent reference to Soeharto.

On Friday night, an Indonesian dance troupe under the
direction of her younger brother Guruh Soekarnoputra performed at
the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.

Sukarno often stayed at the hotel during his visits to Tokyo
and it was here that he met a 19-year-old Japanese hostess in
1959. Sukarno later married the young woman and she changed her
name Ratna Sari Dewi.

Dewi also attended the performance and shook hands with
Megawati, her step-daughter.

Megawati and her entourage are expected to arrive in Jakarta
on Sunday afternoon after a five-day stay in Japan. (dja/prb)