Dian Kuswandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 07/12/2008 11:41 AM | National
After a decade of reform, the government has yet to recognize basic economic, social and culture rights, said the National Commission on Human Rights in a review Friday.
Unlike civil and political rights, which have garnered international recognition, economic, social and culture rights -- including to housing, health, education and employment -- are still low on the government's list of priorities due to uncontrolled liberalization, the commission said.
"Liberalization has allowed corporations to appropriate the government's role, causing it to lose control in our society," the commission's deputy chairman, M. Ridha Saleh, told The Jakarta Post.
Under liberalization, corporations have succeeded in taking advantage of Indonesia's regulations and bureaucracy, forcing the government to permit corporate management of the state's natural resources, which restricts their public benefit, he said.
"National regulations have served corporate interests. As firms are supported with existing regulations, their legal status is recognized, strengthening their position in society," Ridha said after a four-day national meeting.
Since Indonesia's bureaucratic culture supports practices like bribery, no strict measures exist to control corporations, which have exploited the political elite, further weakening governmental authority, he said.
"Our political elite lacks the commitment necessary to support citizens' basic rights. Corporations can too easily manipulate them."
In order to restore threatened rights, the commission has called on the government to reclaim control from corporations.
"The commission will prepare an official standing paper to address these issues and provide the government with several recommendations," Ridha said.
One recommendation is to force the business sector to be more responsible toward the public.
"Corporations have not fulfilled the public's economic, social and cultural rights. They will have to shift their mind-set and become responsible to the public," he said.
The commission will also push the government to address corporate violations of such rights and to consider criminal punishment for such violations, he added, citing cases involving Freeport, Newmont and Lapindo as examples.
"To do so, we are urging the government to ratify the optional protocol of the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment," he said.
The government has pledged to ratify 10 other international human rights agreements by 2009, according to the commission.
After a decade of reform, the government has yet to recognize basic economic, social and culture rights, said the National Commission on Human Rights in a review Friday.
Unlike civil and political rights, which have garnered international recognition, economic, social and culture rights -- including to housing, health, education and employment -- are still low on the government's list of priorities due to uncontrolled liberalization, the commission said.
"Liberalization has allowed corporations to appropriate the government's role, causing it to lose control in our society," the commission's deputy chairman, M. Ridha Saleh, told The Jakarta Post.
Under liberalization, corporations have succeeded in taking advantage of Indonesia's regulations and bureaucracy, forcing the government to permit corporate management of the state's natural resources, which restricts their public benefit, he said.
"National regulations have served corporate interests. As firms are supported with existing regulations, their legal status is recognized, strengthening their position in society," Ridha said after a four-day national meeting.
Since Indonesia's bureaucratic culture supports practices like bribery, no strict measures exist to control corporations, which have exploited the political elite, further weakening governmental authority, he said.
"Our political elite lacks the commitment necessary to support citizens' basic rights. Corporations can too easily manipulate them."
In order to restore threatened rights, the commission has called on the government to reclaim control from corporations.
"The commission will prepare an official standing paper to address these issues and provide the government with several recommendations," Ridha said.
One recommendation is to force the business sector to be more responsible toward the public.
"Corporations have not fulfilled the public's economic, social and cultural rights. They will have to shift their mind-set and become responsible to the public," he said.
The commission will also push the government to address corporate violations of such rights and to consider criminal punishment for such violations, he added, citing cases involving Freeport, Newmont and Lapindo as examples.
"To do so, we are urging the government to ratify the optional protocol of the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment," he said.
The government has pledged to ratify 10 other international human rights agreements by 2009, according to the commission.
