Newly-founded legal aid body gets warm welcome

JAKARTA (JP): The newly founded Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) should spur the ongoing drive to promote human rights in Indonesia, law experts and human rights activists said over the weekend.

Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara said he hopes the new association will be a complement to groups like the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), which he once chaired, rather than a competitor.

"We still need many more institutions like this," said Abdul Hakim, now chairman of Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM).

Legal aid institutions like YLBHI and PBHI have filled the vacuum in the legal system caused by a shortage of lawyers, he said. Indonesia has between 11,000 and 14,000 lawyers to serve the needs of nearly 200 million people.

Legal aid bodies initially were run by lawyers, but lately some of these organizations have recruited activists to help ease their workload, and are now turning their attention to human rights issues.

The PBHI was founded on Nov. 5 by lawyers and activists discontented with the leadership of the YLBHI.

Luhut M.P. Pangaribuan, the current chairman of the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, is chief of the new group's policy-making board. Mulyana W. Kusumah serves as the board's secretary, while Hendardi is its executive director. Both Mulyana and Hendardi also served in the YLBHI.

J. Sahetapy, a legal expert at the Airlangga University in Surabaya, said that PBHI should not repeat mistakes made by the YLBHI.

"I wouldn't call it a splinter group of YLBHI. I think we have to consider its founding as a natural reaction from those concerned with legal as well as human rights issues," he said.

The association should strive to give its best service, he said, because people are "still badly in need of legal aid and human rights advocacy, but they have become apathetic with the existing formal channels."

"This (new) association must dare to deal with controversial cases without fearing the political risks it will have to take," he added.

Asmara Nababan, of the National Commission on Human Rights, said he hopes the PBHI will ease the workload of the commission.

"The commission is always open to cooperate with NGOs and legal aid institutes," Asmara said, adding that he will reserve further comment until the new association begins to show results.

House legislator Handjojo Putro said he looks forward to working with PBHI on transforming Indonesia into a nation that is based on the rule of law, where human rights are fully respected.

"We have not reached that goal. It's still a dream," said Handjojo, who serves in the House's Commission III on legal affairs.

Handjojo underlined the need cure Indonesia's criminal justice system, which he described as "ailing." (26)