INDONESIA AND HUMAN RIGHTS

DEMOCRATIC INDONESIA’S NO-MAN’S-LAND OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Budiono Kusumohamidjojo

The Jakarta Post, April 20, 2013

It has been almost 15 years since reformasi brought about a constitutional change to Indonesia, leading to shifts in various walks of life. High hopes were hedged on the comprehensive Article 28 of the amended 1945 Constitution, which promised better respect and protection for human rights, particularly for the powerless masses, prone as ever to the abuse of the powerful few.

Abuse, oppression, subjugation, torture and murder carried out under the New Order are still experienced by some. Discriminated groups, women and children have become the more soft targets of arbitrariness, while the state stays put and carries out the duties of government by omission.

We cannot help but ask from time to time whether the democratization process that was supposed to put an end to a more than three decades of authoritarianism deserves democracy as its end result. Soeharto ruled with a strong hand, always firm against those critical of his policies. Rebuilding the economy, improving the lives of the masses and helping the victims of grave misgovernment by former president Sukarno were too dear to Soeharto to let them become sidelined by intellectuals and elites, many of whom pretended to be defenders of the people.

(...) [article here]