Munawir's tough job

Being chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights carries a lot of prestige, but it is a job that is also very tough, demanding and politically daunting. It is so tough that even a person of high standing such as Munawir Sjadzali -- with his impeccable record as a diplomat, Islamic scholar, cabinet minister and statesman -- reluctantly accepted the results of an election by his colleagues in the commission to become their new chairman. He fills the slot vacated following the demise of Ali Said in June.

Just how tough and demanding are the chairmanship's duties is reflected by the refusal of Ali Said's deputy, Marzuki Darusman, and Secretary-General Baharudin Lopa to even be nominated, although either of them would have made a perfect candidate.

Munawir now faces the unenviable task of filling the shoes of Ali Said, whose leadership helped give the commission its present standing and reputation, both at home and abroad.

In the three years since its establishment, the commission has become an important democratic institution, at times even perceived by some people as more important than the House of Representatives. More and more people, some from far-flung places, have turned to the commission for help. Even if the commission did not directly solve their problems, at least it raised public attention to their plights and prompted relevant government agencies to act.

The commission's courage in facing the government and the military over allegations of human rights violations in East Timor, Irian Jaya, Ujungpandang and more recently, in Jakarta, has won it plaudits from even the early skeptics. When it was founded, many doubted it could work independently, given that its members were selected and appointed by President Soeharto and its operation was entirely financed by the government. Events in the last three years have proven that the commission is staffed with independent-minded people genuinely concerned with human rights who are willing to confront the government and the military whenever the need arises.

Ali Said rarely made public appearances as chairman, but his personal stature -- his law career spanned the posts of military prosecutor, judge, attorney general, minister of justice and finally chief justice -- loomed large in the background behind all the work carried out by commission members.

The question most frequently asked today is whether Munawir and his colleagues in the commission can continue the work and traditions that were started by Ali Said.

There are some encouraging signs. The chairmanship election was carried out in a very democratic fashion, without any outside pressure. The choice of Munawir was appropriate because, besides his impressive background, he is also seen as acceptable to the government, one of the requirements for the job. Like Ali Said, he can turn his past involvement with the establishment to the commission's advantage.

While no one doubts his independence, there remains the question of how tough he will be when confronting the military, a likely prospect in the line of the commission's duty.

Unlike Ali Said, Munawir does not have any military background. Fortunately, this may not be necessary, because most of the groundwork to make the commission independent and highly respectable was already completed during Ali Said's tenure. All Munawir has to do now is continue the work.

The litmus test of Munawir's leadership, independence and strength will come sooner than many people think. The commission is expected to soon publish the much-awaited report of its findings about the July 27 riot in Jakarta. Its preliminary report differed with the official account of events and the government has since challenged the commission to support its claims with evidence.