A student union has initiated human rights advocacy training for its members in an effort to improve responses to human rights abuses. The four-day program, which began yesterday at a sports complex in Bekasi, West Java, was attended by 60 members of the Union of Catholic University Students of the Republic of Indonesia from branches across the country. Stefanus Gusma, chairman of the student union, described the event as a “non-formal training program” that provided basic knowledge of human rights in the wake of past violence between religious groups.

1. Student union trains rights advocates www.ucanews.com

2. Training meant to improve responses to human rights abuses. A student union has initiated human rights advocacy training for its members in an effort to improve responses to human rights abuses.

3. The four-day program, which began yesterday at a sports complex in Bekasi, West Java, was attended by 60 members of the Union of Catholic University Students of the Republic of Indonesia from branches across the country.

4. StefanusGusma, chairman of the student union, described the event as a “non-formal training program” that provided basic knowledge of human rights in the wake of past violence between religious groups.

5. “We see the importance of offering such human rights advocacy training to our members,” he said, adding that union members have previously offered assistance to residents of predominantly Catholic residents that had suffered attacks from members of other religious groups.

6. Father Antonius Benny Susetyo, executive secretary of the Commission for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, and IfdhalKasim, chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, attended the opening session of the program.

7. “The [student union] should be proactive in assisting and offering advocacy to people in order to uphold their rights,” Father Susetyo told the attendees.

8. Kasim added that advocacy was important because the nation had a substantial deficit in terms of human rights enforcement. “I support this training program. Together we can fight against human rights violations.”

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