Police join rights workshop

CIBOGO, West Java (JP): All deputy police chiefs from precincts in seven strife-torn provinces are taking part in a two-week human rights workshop here, which started on Tuesday.

The 38 officers, who are assistant superintendents, are joining 38 representatives of campus-based human rights groups in the program funded by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and organized by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights.

In his speech read by Deputy Minister for Human Rights Promotion Hafid Abbas, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the workshop was expected to improve the participants' skills in handling refugees and promoting human rights values.

Yusril identified the troubled provinces as Maluku, Aceh, Riau, Irian Jaya, East Nusa Tenggara, Southeast Sulawesi and West Kalimantan.

"As part of the international community, we have to abide by various international conventions related to the management of refugees and protection of human rights," Yusril said.

The workshop, he said, was also expected to prevent human rights violations in violence-prone areas, which in the past were largely blamed on security authorities.

Hafid said that after the workshop, the officers would be responsible in sharing their knowledge with some 7,100 police officers ranked below them.

At the end of the workshop, the officers will receive diplomas which allow them to train personnel.

Speakers at the workshop include Hafis, Phillipa Candler of UNHCR, Satya Arinanto of the University of Indonesia and several officers from the National Police. (01)