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)