Washington: US President Barack Obama should reaffirm that human rights and the rule of law are essential pillars of America's engagement with Indonesia during his upcoming visit to that country, a leading human rights body has said.
Indonesia has taken many important steps to move from an authoritarian state to an emerging, rights-respecting democracy, Human Rights Watch said in a statement yesterday.
The Human Rights Watch said there have been worrying trends, however, particularly regarding freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and religion.
"On issues such as the military's business activities and accountability for abuses, critical reform efforts have stalled, raising serious questions about the Indonesian government's commitment to civilian supremacy and the rule of law," it said.
"Indonesia has held two consecutive credible elections, but it is still critical for President Obama to speak out on human rights issues," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
"Indonesia is still jailing people for peaceful expression, letting the army run unaccountable businesses, keeping Papua closed off to the outside world, and tolerating pervasive corruption," Adams said.
PTI
First Published: Friday, February 26, 2010, 12:37