CLOSING REMARKS BY H.E. MR. SUDJADNAN PARNOHADININGRAT SECRETARY GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA AT THE FOURTH WORKSHOP FOR AN ASEAN REGIONAL MECHANISM ON HUMAN RIGHTS
DEPLUJAKARTA, 18 JUNE 2004
Distinguished Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is an honor for me to join you of your intense and fruitful deliberations.
Yours is a distinguished gathering of conscientious human rights proponents representing vitally important sectors of society: government officials, activists from non governmental organizations and leading academicians of ASEAN countries. Your participation in this seminar reflects the importance that your governments and your organizations attach to the issue of human rights. You have done as good a job as possible within a very limited period of two days.
During that period, you exchanged views on various topics related to efforts towards the establishment of an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism, and evaluated every aspect of those efforts. You have also devised a strategy to add momentum to those efforts, especially in the light of the adoption of Bali Concord II last year.
Your Workshop also assessed the possible role of an Eminent Persons Group in the Initiative towards an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism, and ways of spreading education on human rights down to the grassroots level all over our region.
It is gratifying to note that the Workshop also discussed cooperation on various issues of common concern in the ASEAN region, which may serve to enlarge cooperation in the field of human rights. These issues include the protection of migrant workers in the ASEAN region, the traffic in women and children, and terrorism.
As you know, fighting terrorism has an important human rights aspect. Governments must ensure that in waging an effective battle against terrorism, they do not violate the human rights of individuals and groups. Even suspected terrorists have human rights.
I am greatly heartened that this Workshop also took up the projected establishment of an ASEAN Security Community, as this will have a great and positive impact on the promotion and protection of human rights in the region.
I am confident that the transformation of ASEAN into a Security Community will be matched by the establishment and growth of a network of human rights mechanisms.
Moreover, with the realization of that Security Community, ASEAN can more effectively work for the welfare of vulnerable groups, and carry out a programme of education and promotion of public awareness of human rights.
It will also be so much more feasible to promote education on human rights and public awareness of this important and basic issue.
In his keynote speech before this Workshop yesterday, Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda expressed the hope that its outcome will contribute to the early achievement of the ASEAN Security Community. It is a well-founded hope.
For, indeed, the formation of an ASEAN Security Community and the establishment of an ASEAN Regional Mechanism on Human Rights may be regarded as complementary endeavours. And a government`s commitment to the Security Community may also be seen as a commitment to the conscientious promotion and protection of the human rights of its citizens.
Your recommendations on a practical strategy for hastening the realization of the ASEAN Regional Mechanism on Human Rights will therefore be presented to the
forthcoming ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting prior to the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting here in Jakarta at the end of the month.
Distinguished Participants,
May I now take this opportunity to convey to you, on behalf of the Government of Indonesia, our heartfelt thanks for your active participation and meaningful contributions. We thank all the committee chairpersons, speakers and discussants for lending their expertise, knowledge and insights to the cause of human rights and ASEAN security.
I wish to specially thank the Working Group for an ASEAN Regional Mechanism on Human Rights for its support and cooperation. And finally, I should like to express my sincere appreciation to my colleagues from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Indonesian Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism for having worked hard to make this workshop success.
It is now my privilege to declare this Workshop closed.
Thank you.