NGOs reject third amendment to 1945 Constitution

NGOs reject third amendment to 1945 Constitution

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A coalition of non-governmental organizations yesterday rejected
the third amendment to the 1945 Constitution and urged the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to set up an independent
commission to facilitate public participation in determining the
country's Constitution.

"We strongly reject the third amendment of 1945 Constitution
being deliberated on in the on-going Annual Session of the
People's Consultative Assembly," said Smita Notosusanto,
executive director of the Centre for Electoral Reform (Cetro),
Thursday night.

"We demand the MPR to form an independent constitutional
commission which will empower the people in suggesting and
determining their own Constitution," said Smita, adding that
amendments made by MPR members cannot be relied upon with any
certainty for future democracy.

She also condemned the Assembly's inability to carry out the
required amendments.

"Up to this point tonight, there is no clear result" of their
work, she continued. Cetro is a member of a coalition consisting
of dozens of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) of various
backgrounds.

Smita said she and other coalition members were disappointed
with the amendment process carried out by Assembly members since
the Annual Session started on Nov. 1, 2001.

"The amendment process is being marred by horse-trading. That
is not a good process," she said, referring to the deal between
Golkar and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan).

Cetro claims that the amendment process is not being done in a
systematic and comprehensive manner, but solely accommodating the
interest of the current political elites.

A fellow activist from the Society for Ecology-based Law
Reform (Huma) Sandra Moniaga meanwhile took a more diplomatic
stance, saying that there were positive and negative aspects in
the Annual Session.

"For me, the deliberation on Agrarian Reform and Natural
Resource Management is sufficient enough, but it needs a strong
commitment from the government for its implementation," she told
The Jakarta Post.

Concerning the constitutional amendment, Sandra said that
there was only a little awareness from the legislators on the
issue.

"On this fundamental subject, the legislators are backward,"
she added.

Witnessing all the scenes in the Assembly, Smita said that her
group's demand for a constitutional commission should be
justified.

"We will continue demands for the creation of an independent
commission," she said.