INDONESIA: 19 Bandung Detainees – a backlash against democracy

1 August 2001

UA-27-2001 – 19 Bandung Detainees – a backlash against democracy

 

INDONESIA: political detentions, police brutality, denial of right to freedom of assembly, expression, association

———————————————————–

The latest UPDATE for this appeal is available at:

http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2002/210/

http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/184/

http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/169/

http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/151/

The latest RESPONSE for this appeal is available at:

http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/183/

 

 

The pro-democracy ‘reformasi’ movement in Indonesia is facing a severe backlash. After one and a half months in jail, and with the presidency crisis resolved, the ‘Bandung 19’ political prisoners need your Urgent Action to call for their release. All the information you need for this action, including a sample letter, is included below. Please read as much as you can, but most importantly write the letter to Pres. Megawati.

 

AHRC’s Early Warning “Civil Society under siege” (UA-14-2001 issued 4/5/2001) has been confirmed accurate by the latest brutal response by the Indonesian police force in response to a legitimate, peaceful rally organised by those seeking the dissolution of Suharto’s Golkar party. The police have reportedly fired tear gas and warning shots and beaten the pro-democracy activists, who were protesting against today’s Supreme Court decision to not dissolve the party that was deposed by the people after 32 years of Suharto’s dictatorship. A plaintiff in the case was quoted as saying “The judges were not trying to find the truth. This is not an honest trial. Suharto’s people are still in charge of Indonesia.” Four students were attacked by Golkar supporters after throwing a chicken in front of the court as a peaceful but poignant protest against the court ruling. One of the pro-democracy activists sustained serious head injuries, but none of the Golkar supporters were arrested.

 

This latest attack on freedom of association, expression and assembly contrasts with the lack of police intervention when leftist organisations, activists and literature were targeted for destruction by the Golkar-supported “Anti-Communist Alliance”. And there has been little or no progress in identifying the professional assassins who last week killed Justice Syaifuddin Kartasasita, 61, the judge who upheld an 18-month jail sentence for Suharto’s millionare son Tommy, who was convicted for his role in an $11m property scam. It appears the police are as unable or unwilling to find the killers as they have been to find Tommy who has been on the run since the sentence was upheld.

 

Most disturbingly of all, at least 19 young activists are still being held (since June 15) as political prisoners in detention in the Police Headquarters of West Java (Polda Jawa Barat) for their peaceful involvement in protests against changes to labour laws and increases in oil prices. The changes proposed by the government would mean even less job security (restricting right to compensation and right to strike) and even greater poverty for the working people, unemployed and students of Indonesia. The protests where they were arrested were at Gasibu in the city of Bandung, in the province of West Java, which neighbours Jakarta.

 

19 BANDUNG DETAINEES

 

The 19 ‘Bandung Detainees’ are from the Young Christian Workers movement (YCW), the Student League for National Democracy (LMND) and the Partai Rakyat Demokratik (PRD) political party, amongst other groups. They have been charged under criminal laws that prohibit displaying signs that may cause humiliation to the Indonesian government (Art. 155), Indonesian people (Art. 157), Public Authorities (Art. 160) or any similar person/institution (Art. 161); and for openly using violence against people or goods (Art. 170).

 

The prisoners have been treated extremely badly. They went on a hunger strike for 8 days, and eventually were given medical attention and ordered to end their fast. Here is what one of the prisoners, Mardiyono from YCW, wrote in a letter from prison:

 

“The condition in the custody is very bad (inhumane). Each day we are provided with rice and only salted fish and fermented beans. The policemen in charge call the roll every day and anytime we may get a punch or a kick. We feel depressed, bored and frustrated. When members of family came, they could only shed tears……In the first five days we got torture that hurt us. We suffer physically and mentally. The police have dreadfully violated the human rights. Therefore we will keep struggling for democracy and human rights in Indonesia.”

 

The 19 prisoners (name, age, occupation, organisation, charges) are:

1. L.V. Mardiyono, 23, worker at PT Tiansi, YCW (Art. 160, 170)

2. Normalinda, 22, student at UNPAD, LMND (Art. 160,170)

3. George Dominggus Hormat, 21, student at ITB, LMND (Art. 160,170)

4. Fransiskus XavariuSAMPLE LETTERs Farneubeun, 21, worker, PRD (Art. 160,170)

5. Kahpi, worker, PRD (Art. 160,170)

6. Albertus Budi Pratomo, 21, worker at PT MSP, PRD (Art. 160,170)

7. Hiskia Hartono, 31, student (Art. 160,170)

8. Edy Irwansah, 20, labourer at PT JM, YCW (Art. 160,170)

9. Maraden Sinaga, 23, student at UNDAP, YCW (Art. 160,170)

10. Deny Nugraha, 33, worker, YCW (Art. 160,170)

11. Wirya Wangsa Direja, 24, labourer, YCW (Art. 160,170)

12. Deny Kusmarna, labourer at PT Trijaya Utama, YCW (Art. 160,170)

13. Dindin Suherman, NGO worker at “Dewan Kota” (Art. 160, 161, 155, 157)

14. Asep Ruhyat, NGO worker at “Dewan Kota” (Art. 160, 161, 155, 157)

15. Andy Hartono, 22, student at ITB, LMND (Art. 160, 161, 155, 157)

16. Anton Jauhari, student, GPRI (Art. 160, 161, 155, 157)

17. Donny Danudirjo, 21, student at ITB, LMND (Art. 160, 161, 155, 157)

18. Yovi Wijaya, 21, student at ITB, LMND (Art. 160, 161, 155, 157)

19. Sri Darwanti, 24, student at STSI, GPK (Art. 160, 161, 155, 157)

 

BACKGROUND

 

The popular uprising that overthrew Suharto after 32 years of dictatorship was led by students and independent trade unions. The unseating of Suharto paved the way for democratic reforms and elections, resulting in the appointment of President Wahid in late 1999. But Suharto’s family and allies in the military and business sector have reacted violently to the attempts to bring the military under government control, to prosecute Suharto’s family and to introduce human rights legislation and courts. The recently impeached president Wahid brought Suharto and his son Tommy to court, introduced a Human Rights court, and removed some of the top military officials from their posts. The backlash has come in the form of the provocation of the Maluku ‘religious’ conflict by the military, the bombings of mosques, churches and the attorney general’s office and threats to human rights defenders. The backlash seems to have intesified already under the leadership of President Megawati Sukarnoputri, who relied on the support of Suharto’s Golkar party to wrest power from Wahid.

 

The changes to the labour laws and the increase in fuel prices are being implemented at the behest of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), who have loaned money to Indonesia and are now using this as a means of ‘liberalizing’ the economy.

 

Regarding the court system, many of the current judges are still those appointed by Golkar, and there is an historical system of determining court decisions through bribes (the higher the bribe, the shorter the sentence). The court system is in need of a complete overhaul to remove political allegiances and corruption.

 

SUGGESTED ACTION

 

Please write urgently to the Chief of police of West Java, the National Police Chief and the National Human Rights Commission, demanding immediate and unconditional release of the prisoners, who are being detained in sub-human conditions for exercising their right to freedom of expression, assembly and association. In addition, please call for an inquiry into the police involved in beating and firing teargas at protesters at the rallies on June 12-15 and July 31.

 

You may also send solidarity messages to the 19 detainees by email to:

 

 

 

 

 

To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER