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Legal pundit calls for stronger hand for human rights body
The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) needs more power in order to effectively carry out the job to become front-line protectors of human rights in the country, says prominent legal expert Jimly Asshidiqie.
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Upholding rules -- Election Organizers Ethics Council (DKPP) chair and legal expert Jimly Asshiddiqie talks with journalists in an interview in Jakarta. (Tempo/-)
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he National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) needs more power in order to effectively carry out the job to become front-line protectors of human rights in the country, says prominent legal expert Jimly Asshidiqie.
“Human rights is the core content of the 1945 Constitution. Thus, the institution that is tasked to promote and protect human rights is really important and strategic. But the existing regulation on Komnas HAM has yet to reflect it,” Jimly told The Jakarta Post.
The head of a government-sanctioned selection team tasked to recruit new Komnas HAM commissioners thus called for more power given to Komnas HAM in order to realize the constitutional support for human rights in the country, emphasizing the role of all commissioners to secure support needed to improve the institution’s performance and image.
“Therefore, I call on anyone who believes in the just and civilized values of Pancasila to join Komnas HAM. Idealists are strongly encouraged to join Komnas HAM in order to improve its performance because Komnas HAM is a really important institution,” Jimly said.
(Read also: Komnas HAM bears responsibility in alleged budget misuse: Lawmaker)
The selection team will welcome potential candidates until February next year. Selected individuals will later undergo a fit-and-proper test with members of the House of Representatives Commission III overseeing law and human rights. The fit-and-proper test will take place later in 2017 before the end of terms of the current 13 commissioners in October.
Jimly said that newly recruited commissioners would play a pivotal role in determining the fate of Komnas HAM as they would prepare for a major amendment of the existing law on Komnas HAM, which is considered weak, in order to include more stipulations endorsing greater power of the human rights body. (dmr)
