Jakarta – A visiting United Nations representative sees positive developments on human rights promotion in Indonesia, but pointed to serious constraints in fulfilling these rights.
Hina Jilani, the special representative of the UN Secretary-General on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders, told a media conference Tuesday the prospects for the promotion of human rights in Indonesia had improved.
She pointed to some important developments, such as the constitutional amendments in 2002 that guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the enactment of a law on human rights in 1999 and a law on witness protection in 2006.
Jilani also highlighted the establishment of the ad hoc Human Rights Court, the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) and the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan).
"The situation on human rights defenders in Aceh has changed significantly, but the government needs to pay more attention to the situation of the human rights defenders in West Papua," said Jilani, who visited Jakarta, West Papua and Banda Aceh during her seven days in Indonesia.
"Human rights defenders who have met with me have received threats. I have raised this issue to the government and have received assurances from them that the defenders will be protected."
She expressed concern that the lack of interagency cooperation and coordination had limited the impact of the positive developments on the human rights situation in general.
"I note that there's a resistance to changing attitudes and institutional culture, which has made it difficult for these institutions to make a full commitment to eliminating impunity for human rights violations.
"I observe that there is even less commitment to removing impunity for past abuses," she said, referring to several cases that has not had any progress for the past six years.
Addressing the murder of rights activist Munir Said Thalib, Jilani said there were developments indicating efforts by the government to bring the perpetrators to justice.
She added that she was concerned that the course of justice might be influenced to protect the perpetrators of the murder. She reminded the government that "this will be a test for it to protect human rights defenders".
"The recommendation at this point can be that there should be proper measures adopted in order to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice."
Concrete initiatives to enact laws, create institutions and institute procedures that deal directly with the protection of human rights defenders are needed, she said.
"I'm deeply concerned by the testimonies that I've heard indicating the continuing activities of the police, the military and other security and intelligence agencies that are aimed at harassment and intimidation of defenders."