West slammed over human rights double standards

West slammed over human rights double standards

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas lashed
out yesterday at the West's "double standards" in relation to its
condemnation of human rights cases in Indonesia.

Alatas pointed to a recent letter from United States
congressman Patrick Kennedy as an example of the slanted
perception on human rights issues.

He lambasted the congressman's letter which queried the fate
of those arrested in connection with a Christmas-eve riot in
Dili, East Timor, but apparently showed little concern about the
victims of the riot itself.

"The double standard is quite evident," he said of Kennedy's
letter.

Patrick Kennedy is the son of renowned Senator Edward Kennedy
and nephew of the late president John F. Kennedy.

The 29-year-old Democrat from Rhode Island made a brief stop
in East Timor last month and was there when the outbreak
occurred.

One off-duty soldier was beaten to death by a mob and about a
dozen others injured in the melee. The commotion occurred as
thousands gathered to welcome Dili Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes
Belo who was returning home from the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony
in Oslo.

Speaking to journalists after meeting with President Soeharto,
Alatas said Kennedy's letter expressed concern for those arrested
and currently undergoing interrogation over the incident.

"However he only mentioned the incident itself in passing. In
my reply I said it was very strange for him to be so persistent
in his questions about those being detained but not expressing
any concerns about the one who died and the many who were
wounded," Alatas remarked.

Alatas highlighted Kennedy's letter as an example of the
continuing hypocrisy and double standards being applied by the
West.

He argued that it was common for people abroad to be arrested
if a demonstration got out of hand. However if such a thing
happened in East Timor, for example, there would be an immediate
deluge of statements and questions about whether the rights of
the detainees were being protected.

Alatas said he wondered why Western critics "forgot" to
express their concern about the rights of the man who died at the
hands of the mob.

"Doesn't a member of the security force have any rights too?"
he asked.

Several U.S. Congress and Senate members have recently
expressed concern over developments in East Timor and have urged
the Clinton administration to take a tougher stand against
Jakarta.

Last week Republican Congressman Frank Wolf suggested
Washington send a high level envoy to discuss the issue of East
Timor with Jakarta.

Though East Timor was integrated into Indonesia in 1976, the
United Nations still recognizes Portugal as the administrative
power there.

Throughout 1996 various riots, both ethnic, economic and
political, erupted in East Timor.

Speaking about the suspended tripartite talks between Jakarta
and Lisbon, Alatas said Indonesia would welcome a resumption of
the talks.

Under the aegis of the UN secretary-general, the Indonesian
and Portuguese foreign ministers have met eight times to try to
negotiate an internationally acceptable solution to the issue.
The talks however have largely remained stagnant on confidence
building measures.

The ninth round of talks, due last December, was postponed due
to the secretary-general changeover.

Newly elected UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan replaced
outgoing Boutros Boutros-Ghali on Jan. 1, 1997.

Alatas said the new secretary-general has indicated he wants
the talks to continue.

"We welcome every constructive and positive effort by the UN
secretary-general to find a solution as long as it is
comprehensive and fair, and acceptable to all members of the UN,"
Alatas said.

Alatas, who flies to Davos, Switzerland, today to attend the
World Economic Forum, said he could meet with Annan on the
sidelines of the conference to discuss the matter further.

However the minister asserted that a solution would only occur
if Portugal showed the same willingness and goodwill.

"Portugal has not shown a serious attitude in the talks to
seek a solution to the issue," he remarked, suggesting Lisbon
might gain political benefit by letting the issue linger.

Alatas will be accompanied by Coordinating Minister for
Production and Distribution Hartarto and Minister of Investment
Sanyoto Sastrowardoyo to the six-day conference which starts
tomorrow. (mds)