RI to host women's congress

RI to host women's congress

JAKARTA: Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country, will
host a three-day congress of the International Muslim Women's
Union (IMWU), which is scheduled to start on April 7.

Organizing committee chairwoman Tutty Alawiyah said on
Wednesday that the congress, which is to be opened by President
Megawati Soekarnoputri, would discuss various women's issues in
Muslim countries, especially their rights.

"The President said participants (of the congress) had to
ensure that the results of the congress reached women at the
grassroots level," Tutty said after meeting Megawati at the State
Palace on Wednesday.

Several international women's leaders are expected to attend
the congress, including UN Human Rights Chairwoman Najat Hajjaji
from Libya.

During the congress, which will be attended by 138
representatives from 86 countries, the participants will hold a
mass prayer out of concern for the U.S.-led campaign in Iraq.

"The IMWU has also sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Kofi
Annan calling for an emergency meeting to stop the war in Iraq,"
said Tutty, who is the former state minister of women's
empowerment. --JP

;JP;DJA;
ANPAa..r..
Scene-RI-smuggling-meeting
RI hosts people smuggling meeting
JP/4/SCENE

RI hosts people smuggling meeting

JAKARTA: The preparatory meeting for the second Asia-Pacific
Ministerial Conference on People Smuggling, Human Trafficking and
Related Transnational Crimes is slated to open here on Thursday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on
Wednesday that the one-day meeting would set the agenda for the
upcoming ministerial talks to be held in Bali on April 28.

The first conference, cohosted by Indonesia and Australia, was
also held in Bali last year, during which time participants
reached a common understanding that people smuggling was a
regional problem and should be addressed through multilateral
cooperation.

Delegations from 39 countries, 18 observers and 16
international organizations are expected to attend the
conference. --JP

;JP;IWA;
ANPAa..r..
Scene-farmer-covenant
Protection for farmers' right sought
JP/4/scene

Protection for farmers' right sought

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Farmers Federation (FSPI) said on
Wednesday that it would submit a proposal to the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) to issue a promise on
the protection of farmers' rights.

FSPI secretary-general Henry Saragih said the proposal had
been endorsed by various farmers' associations in Thailand,
Malaysia, the Philippines and Brazil.

"We know it will not be easy to issue an international pledge
but we must fight for it because so far it is only farmers who
don't have international protection," he said.

The UNHCHR'S annual meeting started on March 17 and will end
on April 25, but the FSPI will attend the meeting from March 29
to April 2.

FSPI will also call on the UNHCHR to issue a resolution to
help stop violence against farmers, such as those in Bojonegoro,
East Java, Wonosobo, Central Java, Sosa, North Sumatra and other
areas. -JP

;JP;MUN;
ANPAa..r..
Scene-Lippo-suspect
Analyst grilled over defamation report
JP/4/SCENE

Analyst grilled over defamation report

JAKARTA: Noted capital market analyst Lin Che Wei was
questioned on Wednesday by police investigators over a defamation
report filed by Bank Lippo.

Che Wei told reporters that police asked several questions,
including about an article suggesting manipulation by Bank
Lippo's management to allow the former owner to regain control of
the bank at a huge discount.

"My article did not mention the names of certain figures. I
did not defame anyone," he said.

Lippo's Rudi T. Bachrie filed a suit against Lin Che Wei last
month after the latter wrote two articles highlighting maneuvers
by the bank's management aimed at manipulating the bank's share
price so that its owners could buy it back at a much cheaper
price.

Che Wei said he could prove the systematic efforts by Bank
Lippo's management to pave the way for the former owner, the
Riady family, to buy the bank.

The Central Jakarta District Court is currently hearing
Lippo's civil lawsuit against Che Wei over the same case. The
trial is expected to resume on Thursday. --JP

;JP;KAN;
ANPAa..r..
Scene-US-embassy-reopen
U.S. Embassy in Jakarta to reopen
JP/4/scene

U.S. Embassy in Jakarta to reopen

JAKARTA: The United States Embassy in Jakarta will be open for
all services, including visa service, on Thursday, March 27.

The U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya, however, will remain
closed for all services until further notice.

The United States decided to close and stop all services at
its embassy in Jakarta last Friday, one day after the country led
a coalition to topple president Saddam Hussein for refusing to
destroy alleged weapons of mass destruction.

Antiwar rallies have been held daily outside the mission to
protest the attacks.--JP