'Soeharto betters House in forming rights body'

Kurniawan Hari and Berni K. Moestafa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Public disappointment over the personal integrity of members of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has led critics to think that legislators are no better at choosing the commission's personnel than former dictator Soeharto.

Soeharto, known for his human rights violations, made Komnas HAM an influential rights body by appointing credible individuals in the commission, such as Miriam Budiardjo, Saparinah Sadli, Marzuki Darusman and Baharuddin Lopa, all respected for their dedication in improving human rights issues in the country.

The House of Representatives (DPR), which has for the time being appointed Komnas HAM members, threw out some prominent human rights campaigners, such as Todung Mulya Lubis, Hendardi, and Wardah Hafidz, raising speculation that the selection process was based on nothing more than a popularity contest.

Coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Ori Rachman said on Sunday that the House had failed to understand the concept of human rights and the needs of the commission.

"The results of the selection process show the public that the legislators make political interest their criteria for recruitment," Ori said.

Fellow rights campaigner Munir suspected that the commission had taken in members whose presence was meant to protect the interests of the government or the military.

"They were the cause of contention within the commission and thereafter the reason for its slow and unconvincing work."

Munir's accusation calls into question the recruitment process, which has come under public scrutiny again.

"Some of those in the commission were chosen because they are seen to be closer to the power establishment," Munir said.

There are five members whom he thought were questionable, but he declined to name them. There were calls for the resignation of two reelected members because of their ties with the military and the police.

Human rights charges are often directed against the Indonesian Military (TNI) with its poor track record in conflict zones such as Aceh and Irian Jaya. But despite the 1998 reforms movement, TNI is still seen as a political force with deep influence in the government and the House.

Munir said questionable members weakened the commission's credibility, and several cases appeared to confirm this.

He added that the commission had also performed poorly in its two other mandates of disseminating human rights education and helping to improve regulations on these rights.

He said the independency of the commission rested on its members' endurance to campaign for human rights in spite of resistance from some of their peers and outside pressure.

A former commission member, Bambang W. Soeharto, said that internal rifts were plaguing the commission's work.

He said one debatable issue among members was whether civilians may also be charged with human rights abuses.

He added that the House's fit and proper test might not be entirely free of political interest, but it was nonetheless credible enough. "We just have to accept this (political interest)," Bambang said, rejecting the notion that some members were elected to deliberately stall work.

However, former Komnas HAM member Miriam Budiardjo said that the public should accept the result of the selection process even though it disappointed them.

She appealed to the public to give the commission's new members time to prove themselves before being quick to criticize them.

"I think we have to give the new commission members an opportunity," Miriam told The Jakarta Post by phone on Sunday.

Miriam said that she and fellow rights campaigners were also criticized in the beginning. "We used to face public criticism before finally winning sympathy," she added.