Jakarta – The National Police agreed on Monday to let the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) monitor complaints of rights violations involving police officers throughout the nation.

Speaking at Komnas HAM's office in Menteng, Central Jakarta, National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo said there were many cases of rights violations committed by police officers.

"An external monitoring system is important for overseeing law enforcement procedures and the reporting of any indications of rights violations," Timur told The Jakarta Post.

Komnas HAM chair Ifdhal Kasim said that the memorandum of understanding signed on Monday by the commission and the police would strengthen their partnership and create a monitoring system for criminal law enforcement and the preservation of public order.

Ifdhal said the National Police's awareness of human rights has changed tremendously.

"They have been trying to really integrate the principles of human rights in their duties," Ifdhal said. "The commission sees this partnership as a way to accelerate change and the integration process."

Rights violations by police officers remain a major issue in Indonesia. Komnas HAM deputy chairman Nur Kholis said the commission received 1,100 complaints about rights infringements allegedly perpetrated by police officers in 2010.

"The most frequent complaints concerned the behavior of the police toward protesters during demonstrations," Nur told the Post on Monday.

Nur said the alleged violations also included cases of spousal abuse, unjustified arrest, the physical and psychological abuse of detainees and the beating of suspects who had already surrendered. "The complaints mostly come from big cities, such as Jakarta, Makassar, Medan and Surabaya," he said.

According to Nur, mid- and high-ranking police officers were already well aware of human rights. "It is the low-level officers, the young cops who operate in the field every day, that have a poor understanding of human rights principles," Nur said.

Both institutions had to educate police officers across the nation on human rights, he added

"It is our intent to give the National Commission on Human Rights as much freedom as possible to identify any indications of human rights violations in the National Police," National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar said.

"We are open to a thorough inspection of all law enforcement procedures as proof that we hold human rights in the highest honor," he added. (mim)