RI envoys to forum on women divided
RI envoys to forum on women divided
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian delegation to the Non-
Governmental Organizations (NGO) Forum on Women, which opened in
Beijing on Wednesday, has split into two camps because of
differences on various issues to be raised at the meeting.
The Indonesian Women Congress (Kowani), which is often dubbed
as a "red-plate" (officially sanctioned) NGO, protested yesterday
against fellow delegates for displaying a poster critical of the
Indonesian government.
The other group, which includes outspoken lawyer Nursyahbani
Katjasungkana, had pasted in the gigantic Friendship's Tent in
the conference venue a huge poster depicting a woman in shackles.
The poster also contained words which, according to Antara,
harshly criticized the government. The news agency say what the
words were.
Kowani chairperson Enny Busiri and her deputy, Kuraesin
Sumhadi, said the poster "is hurting the Indonesian people".
Both Kowani and the group led by Nursyahbani are part of the
NGO Forum of Indonesia; the delegation of Indonesia's NGOs to the
forum consist of around 140 campaigners of women's rights.
"We will protest them," Enny said. "They displayed the poster
without consulting other members of the NGO Forum of Indonesia.
We are also members of the forum, but they never discussed the
plan to place this poster with us."
The news agency reported that there have also been differences
of opinion among the different NGOs from Indonesia regarding what
constitutes the issues of women in Indonesia.
"This is very regrettable, if even among Indonesian women's
groups we cannot establish similar views about women's issues,"
Enny said.
The Indonesian delegation to the two-week United Nations
Conference on Women, which opens on Monday in the capital city of
Beijing, is led by State Minister of Women's Roles Mien Sugandhi.
The activists of NGOs, however, are currently meeting in
Huairou city, some 50 kilometers north of Beijing. The NGO Forum
will last through Sept. 8.
Mien Sugandhi is scheduled to open today the two-day Non-
Aligned Movement (NAM) ministerial meeting on women in Beijing
representing President Soeharto, who is the chairman of the
movement.
About 450 delegates from 125 countries will participate in the
NAM meeting. A number of ministers and senior officials from 12
other countries will also attend as observers.
The meeting is expected to draw up and adopt a document called
the Beijing Message, which is expected to reflect the movement's
commitment for the advancement of women.
The document will be further deliberated at the two-week UN
Conference proper which opens on Monday.
Officials in the delegation have admitted that Indonesia is
likely to face criticism at the conference over its record on
women's rights.
Syamsiah Achmad, assistant to Minister Mien, has said that
certain issues, including the fate of Indonesian female workers
abroad, may attract the widest attention. (swe)