Here is the Press Release from previous KontraS-IALDF Seminar in Makassar, South Sulawesi. As one of the program key achievement, here I'd like to posted here on my home too.
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Seminar on Prospects for Government’s Enforcement of Human Rights and Rule of Law 2009 - 2014, Makassar, Indonesia, 10 August 2009
On August 10, 2009, The Commission on the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), with the support of the Indonesia Australia Legal Development Facility (IALDF) launched the book“Guidelines for Investigation and Monitoring” for human rights activists at a seminar entitled “Seminar on Prospects for Government’s Enforcement of Human Rights and Rule of Law 2009 – 2014” held in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.
The seminar was opened by Usman Hamid, the KontraS coordinator, along the seminar’s speakers: Inspector General Dr. Aryanto Sutadi, the head of the Legal Division of the Indoensian Police Headquarters, Wiwiek Setyawati Firman, the director of the Human Rights Division in the Interior Ministry, along with moderator Abdul Muthalib (director of Legal Aid Foundation – Makassar). The seminar was attended by as many as 90 people, including members of the South Sulawesi police force, representatives from the regional Law and Human Rights office of South Sulawesi, members of the National Human Rights Comission from Central Sulawesi, victims from the agrarian conflict in Takalar, Sulawesi, and civil society representatives from across Sulawesi, Kalimantan, and the Moluccas.
The purpose of the seminar was to improve the relationship between the government and its citizens, including series on security issues in the protection of human rights, especially in monitoring human rights situations; and pushing efforts to institutionalize communication between citizens and the government. Through this program and book publication we wished to contribute our thoughts and experience in monitoring human rights situation in Indonesia.
KontraS coordinator Usman Hamid opened the program by describing KontraS’ work and its contribution to human rights monitoring in Indonesia, and its evolving strategies and tactics in response to a shifting situation. Human rights monitoring can be done in an open manner and in communication with government officials, shown by the initiative of Makassar Police Inspector General Mathius Salempang, who communicated directly with the victimized farmers of Takalar before the program began. Such land conflicts expose the serious shortcomings of the current legal system.
The program continued with the symbolic handing out of the human rights monitoring books to human rights activists by Usman Hamid to Basir Tutu Dengan Toro (a Takalar farmer), Wiwiek Setyawati Firman (Director of the Human Rights Division of the Foreign Ministry), Mardiana Rusli (journalist), Lia Marpaung (IALDF), and Meity Tangkere (Reigonal Law and Human Rights office of South Sulawesi).
Wiwik Setyawati Firman discussed the topic of the Development of National and International Human Rights Instruments and the role of the Foreign Ministry in their development, protection, and fulfillment of human rights. In the last five years the Indonesian government has ratified several international conventions, invited UN Special Rapporteurs on Human Rights Defenders and on the Prevention of Torture. Indonesia has also played an active role in the UN as a member of the controversial UN Human Rights Council and the UN Security Council. Wiwiek Setyawati also explained the Foreign Ministry’s role in receving reports on the implementation of human rights in Indonesia, which is clarified and submitted to UN bodies.
Meanwhile, Police Inspector General Aryanto Sutadi discussed the topic of human rights principles in the context of the Indonesian Police’s work. Sutadi described the Indonesian police force after the fall of Suharto, where the people demanded a more professional, humane, and human rights-observant police force. He explained how the police support this role by their orientation towards the people. The police have been working to change the former paradigm though the changes have not been complete. The police continue to work towards internal reform on issues such as accountability. According to the Indonesian Police, every year around 320 police are fired because they have violated human rights principles. The publishing of the Kapolri’s “Rules Regarding the Implementation of Human Rights Principles and Standards for the Indonesian National Police” is one measure of the respect of human rights and opens space for the participation of the people in observing the work of the police force and this right becomes natural.
Usman Hamid from KontraS had several citizens to open the Challenges and Opportunities in the Role of Civil Society in the Observation of Human Rights. He said that in the post-New Order era, the political conditions are still in a transitional stage and have new institutions (The Constitutional Court,the Judicial Commission, the Ombudsman Commission, the National Human Rights Commission, the National Committee on Women) so that politics are more open and accessible. The repressive attitude of the state is expressed through regulation, and its targets are already under control where violence is decreasing. Hamid explained that the type of violence/violation of human rights has changed from the government to individuals, groups, mass organizations, and large companies. There are many aspects of these issues that can be improved through policy, so that the people can also fight for their social political and economic rights.
From the discussion, a worry emerged from civil society organizations about cooperation with state institutions. However both the speakers and attendants saw these as opportunities that can be used to increase coordination and cooperation with the new government. The new government of course has much work to do in relation to its initial commitment to the protection of human rights. The attendees hope that this seminar might result in the creation of a space to communicate and cooperate between both civil society organizations and state institutions as part of the responsibility of the country protect human rights.
The program closed with the distribution of plaques by KontraS and IALDF to the presenters.
