Indonesian legal aid lawyers claim that Aceh, the home province of hapless teen-ager Iman, has the worst human rights record in the country, yet it rarely makes the headlines overseas, unlike, say, East Timor, where conditions have improved. There have been reports of separatist rebel suspects being thrown out of helicopters and fishermen giving up fishing because rivers were filled with bloated corpses. In the sleepy mountain town of Takengon, a bus conductor fur-tively confirms the stories. The insurrection may now be over, but the repression continues. Other problem areas include Cambodia, where the liberal provisions of the Constitution are all but ignored by the authorities.
China is another frequent target of human rights groups' ire.
Washington's persistent lecturing to Beijing over human rights has probably helped. But it can also breed resentment even among those who would otherwise support the cause. But observers say things are improving now that there is greater awareness and increased scrutiny of the cops. They would rather engage in less controversial activities like illegal drugs. It's probably near-impossible to do enough to protect the rights of the individual.