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)