11 PRD activists begin hunger strike on Int'l Labor Day<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Eleven members of the Democratic People's Party
\n(PRD) began a hunger strike on International Labor Day Thursday,
\nthe PRD said.<\/p>\n
The PRD, a small unrecognized organization, said the hunger
\nstrike was to protest the verdict against nine of them Monday and
\nthe ousting from the general election lists of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party's former chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Nine of the 11 were jailed Monday, the other two, Wilson Bin
\nNurtias and I Gusti Agung Anom Astika are still being tried in
\nthe South Jakarta District Court.<\/p>\n
The sentences were read out in two separate hearings Monday at
\nthe Central and South Jakarta Districts Courts.<\/p>\n
The young men, all in their 20's, were given prison sentences
\nof between 1.5 years to 13 years for defaming the state ideology
\nPancasila and causing labor strikes.<\/p>\n
The PRD announced the hunger strike in a statement dated May
\n1, sent to The Jakarta Post yesterday. It was signed by PRD's
\nchairman Budiman Sujatmiko and secretary-general Petrus Hari
\nHariyanto.<\/p>\n
Their statement was sent a day after Gusti walked out of his
\ntrial.<\/p>\n
It said, \"the verdicts show there is no democracy in
\nIndonesia. The verdicts suppress the workers, intellectuals, and
\npoor of Indonesia.\"<\/p>\n
It said the government not only did not observe Labor Day but
\n\"jailed activists who struggled for the poor\".<\/p>\n
In another statement also dated May 1, the PRD said their
\nparty would send letters to the National Commission for Human
\nRights and the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
The PRD said it would demand the two institutions promote
\ntheir right to justice and truth as Indonesian citizens.<\/p>\n
\"We believe the principles of justice were ignored in our
\ntrial and the rights body and the House are our means of
\njustice,\" it said.<\/p>\n
The Central Jakarta District Court sentenced Budiman, 27, to
\n13 years, Suroso, to seven years, Yakobus Eko Kurniawan, eight
\nyears, Ignatius Damianus Pranowo, nine years, and Garda
\nSembiring, 12 years.<\/p>\n
The other four tried in South Jakarta were Ken Budha
\nKusumandaru, who got four years, Victor da Costa, 1.5 years, Ign.
\nPutut Arintoko, 1.5 years and Petrus Hari Hariyanto, to six
\nyears.<\/p>\n
They all said they would appeal their sentences. (12\/05)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/11-prd-activists-begin-hunger-strike-on-intl-labor-day-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }