PRESS RELEASE

No. 3/PHM/VIII/04

INDONESIA LAUNCHES HUMAN RIGHTS PLAN OF ACTION

The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Mrs. Megawati Soekarnoputri on 25 August 2004 in Jakarta formally launched the National Plan of Action on Human Rights for the period of 2004-2009. The National Plan of Action is part of the national law on human rights in Indonesia, which was promulgated through the Presidential Decree No. 40 of 11 May 2004.

The National Plan of Action is the continuation of the first National Plan of Action (1998-2003) and the product of a thorough process, involving the works of an Inter-departemental Standing Committee in cooperation with the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights and inputs from a series of workshops attended by elements of government officials, academics, members of Parliament, member of the National Commissions and representatives of civil society. Both National Plan of Action are established in accordance with the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action agreed at the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna on 25 June 1993.

The second Plan consist of six pillars: the establishment and strengthening of the national mechanism on the promotion and protection of human rights; preparation to ratify international conventions; education and dissemination; national law harmonization; implementation of norms and standards; and monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

Indonesia is committed to the promotion and the protection of human rights, as this is a constitutional mandate and one of the foundations of the state, known as the realization of the civilized humanity as well as a part of the reform and democratization process. The promotion and the protection of human rights, in all their manifestations, continue to be an area of high priority and remain one of the six fundamental working programs of the Government of Indonesia. Indonesia is continuously strengthening the promotion and the protection of fundamental human rights in the country as a part of the reform and democratization process.

New York, 27 August 2003