Rights body, KWI refuse to join security council

Rights body, KWI refuse to join security council

JAKARTA (JP): The National Commission on Human Rights and the
Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI) have refused to join the
newly established Council for Enforcement of Security and Law,
saying the council's mandate goes beyond their own function.

Commission chairman Marzuki Darusman told The Jakarta Post in
a telephone interview that Thursday's plenary session of the
commission concluded that the chairman of the commission should
not be included in the council.

"It would be inappropriate that the rights commission is a
member of the council... This was the view of the commission and
we have submitted a letter today to Minister/State Secretary
Akbar Tandjung responding to his letter inviting the commission
to become a council member," Marzuki said.

President B.J. Habibie established the council by a decree
early last month that aimed at "controlling and coordinating
efforts to resolve crises threatening national stability".

The nonstructural body is chaired by the President himself,
but for daily operations he has appointed Minister of Defense and
Security/Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto the chairman
of a smaller executive committee.

Akbar has said that the council would comprise 23 Cabinet
members; National Police chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi; the head of
the State Intelligence Coordinating Board (Bakin), Lt. Gen. (ret)
Zaini Azhar Maulani; the Secretary of Development Operations
(Sesdalopbang), Lt. Gen. (ret) Sintong Panjaitan; the chairman of
the rights body and the leaders of five religious councils.

Marzuki, however, said that the rights body "would still be
willing to work with the council to promote stability and the
upholding of general security to promote human rights".

However, "We would still be prepared to work with the council
and to advise wherever it is appropriate for the commission to do
so," Marzuki said.

Meanwhile, KWI refused to join the council as a Catholic
church law bans its bishops from accepting a duty which would
involve them in state administrative activities.

A source close to KWI told the Jakarta Post the government
should not confuse the churches' duty and authority with the
state duty. The source also said that the body refused the
invitation to sit on the council so it can better observe its
moral and spiritual calling, in line with its authority.

The KWI has twice refused offers to its leaders to serve on
the Supreme Advisory Council and in the People's Consultative
Assembly, the source said.

Meanwhile, Marzuki said the commission has not reached any
conclusion on the Armed Forces' plan to set up a civilian militia
to back up security forces in safeguarding the coming election in
June.

He said the commission was still studying the plan, but
"underlines the government's own view that the establishment of
the militia should be based on law." (byg)