Police join rights workshop

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)