More call for govt to ratify UN pack
More call for govt to ratify UN pack
JAKARTA (JP): A legal expert on Saturday joined the chorus of
people who are calling on the government to ratify the UN
Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment.
Prof. Mardjono Reksodiputro, former dean of the School of Law
of the University of Indonesia, said it is imperative for
Indonesia to ratify the convention but "not because there are
many violations of law or tortures, which are cruel and inhuman."
The convention should be ratified because it is in accordance
with the spirit of the state ideology of Pancasila, especially
its second principle of "Fair and Civilized Humanitarianism."
"As a civilized nation, it is clear that we are against any
forms of torture. Cruel treatment is inhumane and violates human
rights," he was quoted by Antara as saying.
Several other experts, including Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara
of the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy, and Baharuddin
Lopa, the secretary general of the National Commission of Human
Rights, have also underlined the need to ratify the convention.
The second national workshop on human rights had earlier
recommended that the government ratify three or four UN
conventions a year, leaving the rest to be finished within about
five years.
The UN has produced 25 conventions on human rights, but only
four have been ratified by Indonesia: Convention of the Rights of
the Child, Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of
Discrimination Against Women, Convention on the Political Rights
of Women and International Convention Against Apartheid in
Sports.
Mardjono said that on Oct.23, 1985, Indonesia signed the UN
Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment. Thus, there is no reason for Indonesia
now not to ratify the document.
He denied the allegations made by some human right activists
that torture is commonly practiced by Indonesian law enforcement
in extracting confessions.
"I don't think that has been happening here because according
to the Criminal Code (KUHAP), investigators must not use force or
torture," he said.
Meanwhile, A. Baramuli, a member of the National Commission of
Human Rights and a legislator, said on Saturday that it was time
for Indonesia to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Racial Discrimination.
"According to the 1945 Constitution, all citizens are equal
before the law and the government, regardless of their
ethnicity," he said.
Baramuli, who is also a businessman, said that it was a
"public secret" that in some private companies, especially in
banks, employees of a certain ethnics are better paid than the
others. "The ratification of the convention is expected to
eliminate discrimination in pay," he said. (sim)