Human Rights News:
* Climate of impunity for torture in Indonesia, November 23, 2001: UN rights
panel
* United Press International,November 16, 2001: UN panel critisizes
Indonesia over abuses
Climate of impunity for torture in Indonesia: UN rights panel
GENEVA, Nov 23 (AFP) - The United Nations Committee against Torture said on
Friday that it was concerned about a "climate of impunity" for torture
committed by security forces in Indonesia.
In a summary of the Committee's findings following a review of Indonesia,
the
UN said it was also concerned about allegations of torture by paramilitary
groups which were "supported by the military and sometimes reportedly were
joined by military personnel".
The Committee also pin-pointed reports that abuses were sometimes committed
by military personnel employed by foreign companies either for security or
"to avoid labour disputes", but gave no details.
Its concerns focused on areas of conflict, such as Aceh, Irian Jaya, and the
Moluccas.
The Committee's 10 independent experts called on Indonesia to carry out
prompt investigations into allegations of ill-treatment by police and other
officials and to establish an "effective, reliable, independent" complaints
system.
It also urged the government to strengthen the independence of the National
Commission on Human Rights and to ensure its effectiveness.
During its examination over the past week, the Indonesian government had
said
it was trying to train security forces to observe human rights.
The Committee welcomed government attempts to reform the legal system and to
set up Human Rights Courts, as well as recognition that torture was linked
to
overcoming a culture of violence in Indonesian society.
The conclusions follow a review of Indonesia's record in applying the UN
Convention Against Torture.
____________________________________________________________________________
________
United Press International
November 16, 2001
UN panel critisizes Indonesia over abuses
By JOHN ZAROCOSTAS
GENEVA, Switzerland
A U.N. panel Friday criticized Indonesia for human-rights abuses,
including
sexual abuse, in its troubled provinces.
A 10-member panel of independent experts asked the Indonesian delegation
to
explain a long list of acts of brutality, including deaths of detained
students,
in Aceh, Papua, and the Moluccas. The panel said the acts might be in breach
of
a global convention against torture.
The panel oversees the 126 member countries, including Indonesia, that
are
party to the convention against torture. Under the accord, member countries
are
required to present periodic reports on efforts to put the convention's
provisions into effect.
"The government (Indonesia) has done little to stop torture, in spite of
its
stated commitment to ending the practice," Amnesty International, the
human-rights group, said in a statement released to coincide with the panel
review.
The group said torture in Indonesia is carried out both the military and
the
police and typically "takes the form kicking, beating with fists, hard
objects,
burning with cigarettes or matches, slashing with knives or razors, death
threats and mock executions, soaking with water including sewerage,
mutilation
of genitals, sexual molestation and rape."
Indonesian representative Lucia Rustam told the panel the government
had
set up human-rights courts and commissions to address the problem. She said
many soldiers, army officers and former government officials had been
sentenced for
human-rights violations.
She conceded, however, the government faced difficulties in its efforts
to
promote human rights. She cited lack of financial resources and the
country's
size as factors that made enforcement difficult.
Panel expert Felice Gaer of the United States said the information
provided
by Indonesia was limited. She said though many cases of torture had been
investigated, they had not resulted in trials. She asked what the obstacles
were
to bringing such cases to trial.
She said sexual violence "appeared to be frequently employed" as a form
of
torture.
The panel, chaired by Peter Thomas Burns, a Canadian professor of
criminal
law at the University of British Colombia, is expected to present its
conclusions at the end of the proceedings on Nov. 22.
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