Rights Commission's busy schedule

Rights Commission's busy schedule

Barring any unforeseen developments, the National Commission
on Human Rights will send teams to four locations in East Java by
the end of this month. Each area is suffering from protracted
land disputes which have brought great misery to many people. The
four locations in question are Raci (Pasuruan), Tubanan, Dukuh
Kupang and Simogunung Kramat, all in the Surabaya area.

The commission's visits will not, according to commission
member Soetandyo Wignyosubroto, be aimed at determining who is in
the right and who is in the wrong since a formal institution for
that purpose already exists. "We merely want to make sure that
the human aspect in those cases be given due consideration,"
Soetandyo said.

"Human aspect" is the key phrase. It is also the aspect that
is normally overlooked in land disputes which lead to sharp
conflicts between the people who are being evicted and government
officials. The officials always bring in the standard and cliche
argument that the occupied land is "state-owned land", that the
people are "illegally" occupying it and that it is now to be used
for purposes that serve "development".

Thus, in the name of "development" -- which tends to be
accorded the highest value, surpassing that of everything else --
people are ordered off the land, often by means that offend
humanitarian feelings.

"Development" thus becomes something cold, impersonal and
seemingly isolated from the people -- whom development is
supposed to serve. With such a commitment to humanity, we would
like to welcome the commission's visit to East Java next week, a
group now enjoying an ever-growing trust from the people.

-- Republika, Jakarta