Merangkai SinoLogika: Bunga Rampai - Christine Susanna Tjhin

The Jakarta Post. On Nov. 15, 2003, the National Commission on Human Rights (KOMNAS HAM) announced its preliminary findings about human rights abuses by the TNI and National Police in Papua. On the same day, cases of torture and judicial killings by the police in Maluku were also reported. Torture cases have been "public secrets" for many years. Torture cases with differing gravity can be found in almost all police stations or military posts in areas of conflict all over Indonesia. Let us clarify what torture means. Article 1 of the International Conventions Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) states that torture is "any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person" by state apparatus (police, military and others). The purpose can be to obtain information or confession or to punish that person (or a third person). The person may have committed or have b...

The Jakarta Post. Since the transition to democracy began five years ago, Indonesia has been rocked by widespread communal conflicts. The prolonged conflicts in Aceh and ethno-religious violence in Maluku and Central Sulawesi's town of Poso reflect the mismanagement of pluralism in Indonesia. One proposal for solutions focus on the enforcement of regional autonomy. However, the question of whether regional autonomy is feasible must be readdressed by probing into the fundamental question of whether cultural rights have been properly addressed. Regional autonomy policies may be useful, yet its implementation tends to neglect issues of cultural rights over economic and political rights. Managing pluralism becomes virtually impossible without adequate acknowledgement of cultural rights. The essential idea of multiculturalism and/or pluralism is that there should be proper acknowledgement of and respect for cultural rights of all individuals and/or communal groups. Such acknowledg...