ASEAN Charter closer to ratification

Tony Hotland ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 10/08/2008 10:30 AM  |  Headlines

Indonesia inched closer to ratifying the historic ASEAN Charter after the House of Representatives' special committee deliberating the document unanimously agreed Tuesday to ratify it, committee chairman Marzuki Darusman said.

The committee wrapped up a month-long series of meetings with various stakeholders, all agreeing in a consensus to ratify the charter.

ASEAN leaders signed the charter in November last year, agreeing to have it ratified before the next ASEAN Summit in December in Bangkok.

"The draft of the law on the charter ratification will be signed tomorrow (Wednesday), during which all 10 House factions will read out their opinions. The draft will then be brought in at the next plenary session for official ratification," Marzuki, a Golkar Party member, told The Jakarta Post.

The House goes into recess on Oct. 24.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda would attend Wednesday's session at the House.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported from Manila that the Philippine Senate had also ratified the ASEAN Charter on Tuesday.

Once the House plenary session has given the draft the thumbs up, Indonesia will become the final country to ratify the charter.

While Tuesday's conclusion was reached with acclamation, Marzuki said the committee had submitted several notes for the government to consider when following up on the ratification.

The final text of the charter has drawn mixed reviews, with some praising it as a step forward for the bloc, often criticized as a mere talking shop, and others blasting it for failing to explicitly regulate sanctions and decision-making mechanisms.

"We stressed that the government must push for an immediate establishment of the planned human rights body so as to promote and protect human rights. We also stressed the importance of explicit rules on sanctions mechanisms for disobedient state members and on possible freezing of membership," Marzuki said.

The planned human rights body, scheduled for establishment next July, is a focal point in the charter, with many pushing for a strong rights body with monitoring and trying powers.

ASEAN foreign ministers, in their July meeting in Singapore, launched two high-level expert groups to draw up texts on the legal aspects of the charter and on the terms of reference for the rights body. Both texts are slated for initial presentation at the upcoming Bangkok summit.

Furthermore, Marzuki said, House members wanted the government to push for regulations on dealing with transnational crimes, and for clearer guidelines on the decision-making process through other measures besides consensus, such as voting.

The charter is a milestone in the regional bloc's 40-year history, binding it as a rules-based organization and a legal entity as it seeks to create an integrated community in the political, security, economic and social-cultural sectors by 2015.

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