Observers attack Clinton's list on unndemocratic states

SEMARANG (JP): The one-sided list of less-democratic countries in Asia which was announced recently by the United States President Bill Clinton was criticized yesterday by observers.

A member of the National Commission on Human Rights, Muladi, labeled the list as a violation of human rights but a blessing in disguise for Indonesia.

"By announcing such a list, the U.S. has shown its arrogance because human rights standards in developing countries and in developed ones cannot be compared," said Muladi, who is also rector of the state-owned Diponegoro University here.

The International Herald Tribune printed last Thursday the controversial list which classified all but two Southeast Asian countries as undemocratic. Thailand and the Philippines were the region's only winners, being classified as countries which were becoming democratic along with South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Western observers believe that Clinton, who will be officially sworn in as the U.S. President for a second term on Jan. 20, will campaign more actively for human rights as part of his foreign policy.

Muladi said democracy was relative, so that one country could not force its version on another.

But he suggested that Indonesia accept the U.S. listing with an open heart and look at how democratic principles were implemented here.

The chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Moslem group, Abdurrahman Wahid, played down Clinton's list separately yesterday, saying that it had nothing to do with the development of democracy in Indonesia.

"Take it easy. It's more important for us to launch continuous efforts to improve democracy regardless of external pressures," said Abdurrachman, better known as Gus Dur.

The quality of a country's democracy relied solely on its people, he said. Democracy required several conditions: the rule of law and a government which is open, trustworthy and responsible.

"If these two principles work well, we can call a country democratic," he said.

Muladi, Abdurrahman and several political observers gathered here at the invitation of Jaya Suprana, a renowned musician and cultural expert, who celebrated the 80th birthday of his father Lambang Suprana yesterday.

Another observer, Dawam Raharjo, said the U.S. had no right to judge other countries' democracy. "Clinton has failed to see that Americans themselves are struggling for democracy," Dawam said.

He predicted that the U.S. was unlikely to use the list to pressure Indonesia. "It was just Clinton's political statement," he said.

But sociologist and outspoken critic Arief Budiman hailed Clinton's list, saying it suited Indonesia.

"Frankly speaking, democracy in Indonesia only lives in discussions; it has yet to turn into deeds," Arief said.

He argued that the list was scientifically reliable because the U.S. government had involved a lot of developing-country specialists. "There are many American scientists who know Indonesia well," he said. (har/amd)