NGOs back PPP's bid for human rights charter

JAKARTA (JP): The United Development Party's (PPP) bid for the establishment of a People's Consultative Assembly decree on human rights received a boost yesterday when 10 non-governmental organizations declared their support for the campaign.

A delegation led by Bambang Widjojanto representing the legal aid and human rights protection institutes urged the PPP faction in the Assembly to continue its efforts to make its draft of human rights charter a decree.

"I suggest PPP fight it to the hilt and opt to walk out if the majority in the Assembly reject the draft," one of the delegation members, Arbi Sanit, told the PPP faction chief in the Assembly, Jusuf Syakir.

Several PPP legislators, including Aisyah Amini, Zain Bedjeber, Hadimulyo and Muhammad Buang, attended the hearing.

PPP, as well as fellow minority faction the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), demanded an Assembly decree on human rights. But the dominant Golkar faction and its traditional allies, the Armed Forces and regional representatives factions, rejected the idea and suggested that human rights principles be incorporated in the State Policy Guidelines.

Some observers argued that the first option -- establishing a separate decree -- would ensure better human rights protection.

Arbi said PPP's proposal was worth supporting because human rights had long become everybody's concern. He said a rights charter would encourage people, and particularly government apparatus, to behave according to human rights principles.

"Our surveys conclude that government apparatus are prone to human rights violations," Arbi said.

Another delegate, Billah of the Community for Participation Social Management, said PPP's hard-fought struggle to defend its human rights draft would draw sympathy from the public.

"PPP has the power to bargain (with Golkar and allies), because it bears universal interest. It's time PPP made amends for its past losses," said Billah, referring to PPP's previous reputation as a meek member of the body.

The NGOs said in their joint statement that they threw their weight behind PPP's bid because despite the presence of human rights principles in the 1945 Constitution, Indonesia had yet to ratify the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

They suggested that PPP improve its draft in accordance with the covenant.

"The human rights charter must serve as a prime reference for our national laws, meaning that it must allow review of laws which have the potential to violate human rights," the group said.

Arbi said in its campaign for a human rights charter, PPP should also reject Golkar's motion to grant the next president special powers to take preemptive measures against those considered endangering the national development program.

"PPP's acceptance of the Golkar draft will cancel out its bid for a decree on human rights," Arbi said.

The PPP's draft will be discussed in a session of the Assembly's ad hoc committee from Dec. 11 to Dec. 16. (amd)