INDONESIA – Include human rights in presidential candidacy debate!
15 June 2009 1:56 am

Civil
society organisations, including two FORUM-ASIA members, called on the
National Election Commission to include human rights in presidential
and vice presidential candidates' debate. Their letter below, written
on 4 January 2009, says that protection of human rights must be a
political commitment, not lip service.
Civil
society organisations, including two FORUM-ASIA members, called on the
National Election Commission to include human rights in presidential
and vice presidential candidates' debate. Their letter below, written
on 4 January 2009, says that protection of human rights must be a
political commitment, not lip service.

Through this
letter, we, the civil
society groups, which concern for democratisation and human rights
enforcement
in Indonesia request the National Election Council to put human rights
theme in
an agenda for the presidential/vice presidential candidacy debate, that
will
complete the issues of debate for this presidential/vice presidential
candidacy debate. Based on track record of the candidate, clearly shown
that human rights is not there priority, even though they were ask to
present their
future human rights programme, they will likely to present it
normatively or
just merely a lip service. 

We see that the obligation for the
state to respect, protect and enforce Human Rights, must put into real
practice
as a form of pure national political commitment. After 10 years of
reform, many human rights case happened, should given serious attention
by the candidates of
national leadership. This could not be responded by a mere normative
stance.

First, Recognition of human rights
discourse in various existing formal legislation – including the constitution –
implies that human rights is a collective consensus that became a framework in
the nation livelihood. Meanwhile, the implementation is still low.

Second, weak respect, protection and
enforcement of the human rights because the state still neglect economic,
social, and cultural rights of the citizen. Hunger, malnutrition, poverty,
expensive education, lack of health facility, environment disruption are a few
serious humanity issues that could threat the future of the nation.

Third, the absence of political will
to protect and fulfil Human Rights of the citizen. Long and slow handling of
the Lapindo hot mud, no freedom of religion, ongoing capital punishment, and
enduring violence to indigenous people trying to preserve their land and home,
are issues need to be solved. Not to mention the existence of candidate with a
track record of Human Rights gross violence involvement in the past. In the reality,
several succession of political leadership in this country, didn't gave just
solution in solving Human Rights violation in the past, either legally or
politically. This enduring process will preserve impunity that is supposed to be
abolished.

To read the complete letter, please click here (KontraS website).