Rights commission opens as usual

Rights commission opens as usual

The show must go on at Indonesia's National Commission on
Human Rights despite the series of APEC meetings and other
international events scheduled between Nov. 3 and 15.

The Commission, according to its Secretary General Baharuddin
Lopa, will maintain its "open house" policy for complainants.

"We have not received any government instructions to not
receive complainants during the APEC meetings. So I assume anyone
having complaints about human rights violations can come to our
office," Lopa said to the Antara news agency.

He pointed out that it is the obligation of the Commission to
receive anyone having legitimate complaints concerning human
rights violations.

The Commission, set up in July 1993 and headquartered near the
President's Bina Graha working office, has been working hard to
show to the public that it is really an independent institution
in charge of safeguarding human rights even though it was
appointed by the President and is funded by the government.(vin)