Castan Centre for Human Rights Law

Indonesia - Australia Specialised Training Program: Phase III

From October to December 2004 the Castan Centre in conjunction with Monash International, completed an eleven week course with Indonesian Officials with Associate Director Dr Julie Debeljak as team leader of the project.

The Castan Centre conducted the eleven week course, 'Human Rights in Australia' with nineteen Indonesian officials under the Indonesia-Australia Specialised Training Program (Phase III) from 4 October to 17 December 2004.  This was part of an AusAID funded program managed by Hassall & Associates.

The officials were predominantly from the Indonesian Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, but also included an official from the Attorney-General's Office, an official from the Ministry of Immigration, two prison officers, a secondary school teacher, a teacher trainer, a university lecturer, and a participant from an NGO (Habibie Centre).

Themes and topics explored included: the international human rights norms; international human rights institutions and enforcement; current challenges to the international human rights framework; current human rights challenges in Indonesia and Australia; domestic human rights protection in Australia (including institutions and enforcement); and human rights and governmental policy.

On site visits formed an integral part of the course providing participants with a greater understanding of the workings of Australian institutions which deal with human rights. Some of the Melbourne visits included Commonwealth Law, Supreme and Magistrate Courts, Victorian Ombudsman's Office, Port Philip and Castelmaine Prisons, Victorian Foundation for the Survivors of Torture, the Brotherhood of St. Laurence, the International Women's Development Agency and the Australian Council of Trade Unions. In Sydney they visited the Australian Law Reform Commission, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and the Judicial Commission of NSW. Their visits in Canberra included Parliament House, the Australian Federal Police, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies and Department of Education, Science and Trade. In Melbourne they were accompanied on many of the visits by an interpreter, James Griffiths a Castan Centre member.

A major outcome of the course was the drafting by the participants of Action Plans to be completed upon their return to Indonesia. The Action Plans are intended to translate the knowledge acquired during the course into practical outcomes for the participants in their workplace or in Indonesian society generally, and thereby further the implementation of the promotion and protection of human rights within Indonesia. The final week of the program mainly focused on the final drafting of the participants Action Plan with help from their mentor Bapak Bambang Subagio from Indonesia.  

At the Closing Ceremony  Dr Julie Debeljak spoke to the group remarking that she 'hoped they enjoyed their visit to Australia, congratulated them on their hard work during the program particularly in finalising their draft Action Plans, and hoped that the ties with the group and the centre would continue'.