Comment: Rights may improve in RI-led ASEAN

Oct. 19, p. 2

Hope is high for Indonesia, which will take over the ASEAN chair next year, to push for improvements in human rights in the region through the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR).
Activists and experts said they believed the AICHR would be able to show its teeth under Indonesia’s leadership.
 
Your comments:

Not when minority groups like Ahmadiyah are getting stoned, having their houses burnt down and the officials are suggesting they should be moved to some island.
Not when the President is sitting silently when the freedom to practice one’s faith as described in the Constitution was denied in the case of the HKBP.
Not when the capital is armed with snipers allowed to shoot on sight without question.
Not when police/army cannot deal with political dissident peacefully and have to resort to torture.
Not when someone with past human right violations is appointed as the chief of the National Police.
Richard
Jakarta

Indeed, there are valid reasons to pin hopes on Indonesia in bringing more substantive improvements to human rights conditions in ASEAN when it assumes the mantle of the group’s leadership next year.
Myanmar can learn lessons from this biggest newly restored democracy, whose meteoric success in achieving impressive economic growth via democratic rule has been unparalleled. Short of being a model, others can draw inspiration from its approaches, and certainly, the Myanmar military junta could emulate this track toward democracy.
Even some of its economically advanced neighbors could benefit from Indonesia’s experience in blending democratic governance and rule of law in the pursuit of prosperity. No doubt, human rights conditions in Indonesia are far better than those of these wealthy neighbors.
ASEAN must uphold the primacy of human rights as this is the only sure guarantee for political stability in the long term.  
Bab
Dhaka