 |
Main Enterance to UN Building at Geneve, Switzerland |
Executions for drug crimes, rising religious intolerance, and the
repression of activists and journalists in Papua were some major
criticisms lodged against Indonesia’s human rights record at the
nation’s Universal Periodic Review in Geneva on Wednesday.
The delegations from around 100 countries lined up to comment on the
condition of human rights in Indonesia, with a slew of states from
Europe, Africa and the Americas recommending that Indonesia re-impose a
moratorium on the death penalty and steps towards the elimination of
capital punishment.
The United Nations Human Rights Council conducts the UPR for each
member state every five years, providing an opportunity for other
nations to analyse progress and highlight concerns.
While states parties applauded Indonesia’s progress in pursuing the
protection of rights for some vulnerable groups such as women, children
and people with disabilities, Indonesia’s high-level delegation was
faced with widespread calls to better protect religious and LGBT
minority groups.
Indonesia staunchly defends executions
Long a diplomatic sticking point with nations around the globe,
Indonesia came under heavy criticism from dozens of countries for its
continued use of capital punishment for people convicted of drug
offences.
Indonesian Justice and Human Rights Minister Yassona Laoly pushed
back against the criticism, stating that continuing to implement the
death penalty was important for addressing the nation’s drug problems.
“Each day 33 persons … die because of drug abuse,” he said. “If you
are a family member of the drugs victims, surely you will understand.”
Yassona continued that “the rights of the offender must always be
weighed against the rights of the victims,” but that without strict
punishments to contain drug use, “the future of the nation will become
bleak.”
“As a democratic country, public discourse on the implementation of the death penalty is ongoing in Indonesia,” he said.
Supporters
of Jakarta governor candidate Anies Baswedan react as Baswedan leads
the count at the Petamburan flat polling station in Jakarta, Indonesia
April 19, 2017. Source: Reuters/Beawiharta
Fears of hardline Islam, persecution of minorities
Many delegations cited the recent gubernatorial elections in Jakarta
as cause for concern over growing intolerance and religious extremism in
Indonesia.
The Christian, ethnically Chinese incumbent Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja
Purnama was defeated last month after a religiously-charged campaign
that saw hardline Muslim groups shut down the capital numerous times
with mass demonstrations.
The focus of the United States’ statement was protecting minority
rights including religious freedom, while Sweden explicitly called for
Indonesia to review its controversial 1965 blasphemy law under which
Ahok was charged.
But an Indonesian delegation member from the religious affairs
ministry asserted that “the rights of everyone to freedom of thought and
religion … is a constitutional right”, noting Indonesia’s observance of
religious holidays as proof of its pluralistic and tolerant approach.
Indonesia’s foreign minister Retno Marsudi stated that two rounds of
the election were conducted in a “free, transparent and peaceful manner”
where both sides accepted the result and expressed their willingness to
work together.
Quoting US Vice President Mike Pence’s recent comments during a
diplomatic visit in Jakarta, an Indonesian delegate added that
Indonesian Islam remained an “inspiration to the world.”
A raft of nations including Brazil, Norway and Switzerland urged
Indonesia to implement greater protection for the rights of “sexual
minorities” and the LGBTQI community.
Last year saw an upsurge in anti-homosexuality rhetoric, with the government actively banning LGBT-friendly social media applications.
More protection for some vulnerable groups
It was observed that since the last UPR session, Indonesia has
ratified two optional protocols of the UN Convention on the Rights of
the Child and the Migrant Workers convention, and many states lauded
Indonesia’s gains regarding the right to education and the rights of
women and children.
The delegation from the Maldives praised Indonesia’s progress in
advancing education rights, noting a 95 percent literacy rate and a
youth literacy rate of 99 percent.
Nevertheless, several delegations urged Indonesia to implement more
principles from the UN Child Rights Convention into its domestic
laws, in particular changing legislation that allows for marriage under
the age of 18 and for minors to be imprisoned alongside adult offenders.
Pressed on child marriage, Indonesia claimed it had implemented
initiatives to combat early marriage, including by improving family
welfare programs and increasing awareness of the health risks of early
pregnancy.
The representative pointed to religious edicts by a summit of female
Islamic clerics last week, noting the country’s religious affairs
minister had supported recommendations to raise the legal marriage age
from 16 to 18 and “will follow them up accordingly.”
Challenged on the prevalence of female genital mutilation, an
Indonesian delegate said that it was a “long held tradition and belief”
but that the government was committed to raise awareness among medical
and health workers on the issue.
Moreover, Marsudi said protection of migrant workers and their
families was “one of the top priorities of Indonesian foreign policy.”
The government had bolstered migrant worker rights through improving
domestic policy, law enforcement and enhancing protecting efforts by
Indonesian missions abroad, she said.
A student shouts a slogan as he holds a placard during a protest at the
PT Freeport Indonesia headquarters calling of the closure of its mine in
the Papua province, in Jakarta, Indonesia, April 7, 2017. Source:
Reuters/Beawiharta.
Papua and media freedom
New Zealand praised advances for indigenous people
in Indonesia, including President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s return of
13,000 hectares to communities in North Sumatra and a pledge to return
2.7 million hectares by 2019.
But along with many other states parties, New Zealand also raised
concerns about alleged human rights abuses, suppression of activists and
a lack of media transparency in the Papua and West Papua provinces of
Indonesia – a highly sensitive issue for Jakarta.
Marsudi asserted that Papua was an “integral part of the Republic of
Indonesia,” that the government “appreciate very much” the input of the
international community “for the betterment of Papua.”
Nevertheless, the minister pointed to “open, transparent, free and
fair elections” and funding from Jakarta to Papua exceeded that given to
most other parts of Indonesia due to their special autonomy status, she
said.
Addressing criticism that foreign journalists were continuing to be
restricted in their access to Papua, Marsudi said the issue “now has
been addressed by the government … [which] has simplified the procedure
of journalists applications.”
Journalists visiting Papua and West Papua had “significantly
increased,” she said, with “more than 41 percent in 2015 compared to
2014.”
Incidentally, Indonesia’s capital Jakarta was chosen by Unesco to mark World Press Freedom Day 2017 on Wednesday. ***Black_Fox
