REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The United Nations' High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has expressed her appreciation towards the progress on human rights implementation in Indonesia when meeting with Indonesian Permanent Representative in Geneva Hasan Kleib. She believed that Indonesia is a country that is dynamic, with strong democracy practice and strong role in the region.
"The Indonesian government has carried out a number of positive measures in the human rights sector, including on rights of land, environmental rights, the impact of climate change on human rights, as well as the criminal code revision process that is being pursued," Bachelet said in a statement received here on Thursday.
Indonesia is home to such vast diversity in terms of race, culture, and religious beliefs, and it also has thousands of islands, making Indonesia a special country that is not easy to be managed, she added. However, Indonesia was able to exhibit its identity as a tolerant nation, with coexisting citizens who live in harmony amid the existing diversity, he noted.
With that in mind, Bachelet praised Indonesia and even welcomed a number of steps and commitments from the Government of Indonesia that continuously made advances and improvements, including on issues of belief and human rights.
In addition, she also expressed her deepest condolences for the earthquake and tsunami disaster, as well as the crashed Lion Air JT 610 incident that recently occurred. In response, Kleib appreciated the praises and condolences offered by Bachelet and reaffirmed Indonesia's commitment to cooperate with the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights in an effort to promote and protect human rights.
"Since the last visit of the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Indonesian government has identified a number of progresses and challenges in the human rights fields. We also maintain our commitment to continuously improve the human rights conditions in the country. Apart from that, the Indonesian government will also observe any potential to heighten cooperation with the High Commissioner in the field of human rights and SDGs," he explained.
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Kleib noted that Indonesia has initiated inter-religious and human rights dialogue with a number of countries in the region. It has also become an initiator in promoting democratic values and principles in the region, through the annual Bali Democracy Forum.
Similar to other UN member countries, Indonesia still faces challenges in terms of human rights; however, it is important to highlight the country's commitment to overcome such challenges.
He also reiterated the importance of the recognition given by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights towards the progress of human rights implementation, as it provide Indonesia with encouragement to carry out further improvement.
The bilateral meeting between Kleib and Bachelet was carried out in the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights office in Palais Wilson, Geneva, on Wednesday (Nov 14). Bachelet, who was appointed AS High Commissioner by the UN Secretary General in August, is a former president of Chile and is an Executive Director for UN Women.
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