“The Geography of Human Rights, Yap Thiem Hien Human Right Lecture” by Prof. Dr. Jan Pronk.

September 22 2015.

Tonight, we attended “The Geography of Human Rights, Yap Thiem Hien Human Right Lecture” by Prof. Dr. Jan Pronk. Jan Pronk. Born in Scheveningen, March 16, 1940, the most powerful in development coordination field in Netherlands. Head of IGGI (Inter-governmental Group on Indonesia), IGGI was substituted by Consultative Grorup on Indonesia (CGI).

He involved in Ministry of Economic and Foreign Affairs Coordination of Netherlands and funding institution for Indonesia in 1973-1977 and 1989-1992. The contribution of IGGI ended in March 1992. During his visit to Indonesia, Pronk’s having lecture in several places in Indonesia, meeting Vice President Jusuf Kalla, human right activist, and other activities related to human rights and development.

At that night, the judge of the Constitutional Court, Mr. Anwar Usman opened the lecture "Human Rights Lecture of the Yap Thiam Hien". Yap Thiam Hien defenders of law and justice. The figure is not limited by time, in Bahasa I called “sosoknya tak lekang oleh waktu”. He is the lawyer who defense the weak people. He had been detained without due process of justice as he was accused of inciting the students. We have to give the appreciation. The young generation is the potential 'weapon' in the era of reformation as a representation of giving critics to the government. The historical moments which occurred in Malari, Tanjung Priok, etc, we have to keep in mind and live up the lesson behind those historical events that reveals the humanity.

The young generation should be prepared as well as possible in the reformation era. Reformation that promote the rule of law, uphold the human rights, eradicate corruption, freedom of speech, deletion of dual armed forces, this struggle is also passed by Yap Thiam Hien. He is fighting for the constitutional rights of the citizens so that citizens feel that their right of constitutional always gets priority. The values ​​of the Constitution must be felt by every community, adopted in all aspects of life. Those values ​​have to be dynamic, always follow the changing conditions in society itself.

Our constitution, “UUD 1945” should be implemented of all elements of the state: officers and citizens. The Constitution should not be merely a ceremonial document. We have to live up the Constitution. Supposing the constitution as a "heart of life", living in state institutions and the citizens. The Constitution as the supreme right has to be fully implemented. That is the "protector" of human rights itself. Each citizen has to be understand and implement it consistently. Be aware that from the experience of countries that “do not enforce the constitution and the law” is the beginning of the destruction of a country.

Mr Jan Pronk associated it with the development of human rights.

Good development has to protect the rights of the people in it. "When in 1948 the international community accepted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights declared that this Declaration countries would function as a common standard for all member states of the United Nations. This is why the Declaration is called universal ". Mr. Jan Pronk started his explanation by tracing the history of the UDHR, how the idea of this declaration appeared for the first time, and become a milestone for the world in the consciousness fight for their rights and uphold the rights of others as human being.

“The decision taken ushered in a new phase of globalization: globalization not only of economic and technological opportunities, but also of values ​​and institutions, in order to serve the global common objectives.” Prof. Jan continued his explanation.

Six objectives as follows: 1) peace: avoiding new world wars and major conflict escalations 2) security: addressing international and domestic conflicts that would endanger world security. 3) Stability: Preventing and mitigating world economic, financial, trade and food security instabilities. 4) development: enabling progress, in order to improve the welfare of nations and the life conditions of people Reviews their 5) freedom: of both nations (decolonization) and citizens, by fostering processes of emancipation and Democratization 6) protection of human rights.

Complex conflicts

Since the adoption of the UDHR the world has changed. The end of World War 2 was not the end of the atrocities and Human Suffering. Progress was modest, insufficient development, and cooperation meager. Human rights violations are still widespread, everywhere, ongoing. They are no exceptions to an otherwise positive trend. Giving example that present day conflicts are extremely complex. Human rights are being violated not only by evil regime, for instance in Syria (such as IS, by their opponents), and by rebels such as in Dafur, tribally inspired oppositions such as in the new South Sudan.

Credibility

The factors are putting particular pressure on the presevation of human rights. The first of these is lack of credibility of the champions. The legal rights of financial institutions, capital, knowledge intensive enterprises, mining industries, and plantation companies are being protected, while the rights of indigenous people and small farmers are being shoved aside. Moreover, developing countries observe that CO2 emissions and climate change have resulted in unequal opportunities over time and a factual curtailment of the right to develop with consequences for economic and social human rights of their population.

Impunity

Mr Jan Pronk continued his explanation. The earlier consensus reached regarding the concept of human rights, and despite regular reconfirmations at high political levels, disputes continue, and that today human rights still are far from guaranteed. Since decolonization and again after the end of Cold War and after 9/11, the world has become not only more global, but also more differentiated and world conflicts have become more complex.

   

Human rights are universal and absolute. They should be arrived overnight. In the end there is only one human right: the right to life. This is more than a right to survive. The right to exist and to live implies a right to live a decent life, beyond mere subsistence, a meaningful life.

Yap Thiam Hien, for Mr. Jan and for all of us, he is our role model of a human rights defender. He belongs to minority, he is truly Indonesian, fighting for justice and for all people in Indonesia. If we talk about human rights, it relates to all of the people 'rights in the world since the UDHR was created in 1948.

Mentioning the genocide of Tutsi in Rwanda, what has happened in the past, and for the future 2030 Strategy for Sustainable Development, what can we do to overcome those menaces of human rights in the environment, water scarcity problems, land and climate issues. Let us work together, and show our solidarity in order to fulfil their right. UDHR implementation and fulfillment is in our hand.