Firms accused of abusing workers’ rights

A rights watchdog on Thursday published a report accusing private companies of being the worst human rights offenders in Jakarta in 2010.

The Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) said in its year-end report that companies, both private and state-owned, were the source of most complaints of human rights violation filed with the institute between December 2009 and October 2010.

LBH Jakarta chairman Nurkholis Hidayat said that of 428 complaints of alleged human rights abuse, 40 percent or 167 were companies violating workers’ basic rights.

“Most of the complaints involved unfair working contracts and arbitrary layoffs,” Nurkholis said at a press briefing.

The LBH Jakarta said many companies, regardless of size or ownership, continued to pay workers less than the minimum wage, refused to insure workers and bound them to unfair contracts.

“A number of multinational companies refused to conduct collective bargaining with labor unions on regulating working conditions. Some even prevented the formation or expansion of unions, criminalizing outspoken workers in the process,” Nurkholis said.

Numerous companies also denied workers their basic labor rights, he added.

LBH Jakarta called on both the public and the government to push for corporate accountability, the adoption of the UN’s norms on the responsibilities of transnational companies and other business enterprises.

LBH Jakarta said it received 1,027 complaints from December 2009 to October 2010, but only 428 complaints concerned human rights violations from across Greater Jakarta.

This was an increase from last year’s figure of 1,061 complaints, which in turn was or 83 cases fewer than in 2008.

Coming second as the worst human rights offender was the Jakarta administration. LBH Jakarta said 23 percent of the complaints it received concerned violations perpetrated by the city administration.

The city administration, the LBH Jakarta claimed, often drafted policies infringing on the rights of poor residents.

“For example, tens of thousands of people living along river banks will likely face a harsh eviction as the city tries to dredge and restore waterways through its Jakarta Emergency Dredging Initiative [JEDI],” Nurkholis said.

The administration predicts that as many as 210,000 people living on the banks of the Ciliwung River alone will be affected by the program.

Also making the list of human rights offenders were the city’s law enforcement agencies: Police, prosecutors, judges and courts.

“Complaints against them included unlawful arrests, trumped-up charges and inept investigations,” Nurkholis said.

Last year, violations of civil and political rights by police made up the largest number of complaints filed to LBH Jakarta.

The institute expects to publish its 2010 annual report, which it says contained a more comprehensive account of rights violation in the city.

The institute was established in 1970 by lawyers and was supported by the administration. Its stated aim is to provide legal aid for those unable to fight for their rights, including the poor and marginalized.