American to start hunger strike in quarantine<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A 51-year-old American quarantined by the
\nauthorities for allegedly misusing his visa and possessing
\npornographic photographs will start a hunger strike to protest
\nthe unclear process of his arrest.<\/p>\n
In a letter made available to The Jakarta Post over the
\nweekend, Jack Gilbert West denied the accusations and urgently
\nasked the U.S. embassy for financial aid so he could leave the
\nsmall quarantine cell for the States immediately.<\/p>\n
"If the U.S. government won't loan me the funds to go home,
\nthen they can ship my corpse home," said West in the two-page,
\ntypewritten letter he wrote from the Immigration's Quarantine at
\nKalideres, West Jakarta, where he has been detained since Feb. 4.<\/p>\n
West said with the publication of his letter he would start
\nhis hunger strike.<\/p>\n
According to a statement released by the Immigration Office on
\nFeb. 5, West, holding American passport number Z 7546919, was
\napprehended by a team of on-patrol Army personnel on Jan. 31
\nwhile walking around the National Monument park in Central
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
West was detained after the officers found photos in his
\npossession of naked women and couples having sex, said Zaiman
\nNurmatias, director for control and law enforcement on
\nimmigration affairs.<\/p>\n
"Among the pictures were those of Balinese women," said Zaiman
\nin the statement. "All the pictures were shot by West himself,"
\nsaid Zaiman.<\/p>\n
He believed the photos, packed in several albums, would have
\nbeen sold by West to porn publication agencies overseas.<\/p>\n
While under police interrogation, West admitted to having
\nworked as an English teacher without proper documentation, said
\nZaiman.<\/p>\n
However, he said, the suspect refused to sign the transcript
\nof his admissions during questioning.<\/p>\n
Deportation<\/p>\n
West was issued a visa last year by the Indonesian Embassy in
\nSingapore for a social and cultural visit only, said Zaiman.<\/p>\n
Besides misusing his visa, the American had harassed and
\nhumiliated the Indonesian women, said Zaiman.<\/p>\n
"West will be deported shortly after his ticket is ready," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Zaiman's remarks contradicted West's.<\/p>\n
West could not be reached, but in his letter, West said he had
\nno idea why he was being detained.<\/p>\n
He said was not apprehended in the National Monument park but
\nat his house on Jl. Tiang No. 8 in Kampung Ambon in Rawamangun,
\nEast Jakarta on the same date.<\/p>\n
He was taken to the local police station after refusing the
\ndemand of a group of people, led by an Army officer. The group
\nraided his home at midnight for unknown reasons and later asked
\nfor a Rp 5 million (US$2,080) bribe.<\/p>\n
The four-member group, he said, consisted of a member of Army
\nintelligence, the neighborhood chief, a local merchant and a gate
\nkeeper, explained West.<\/p>\n
"They kicked in the door, ransacked the house and stole many
\nthings including cameras, books, a phone card, condoms, pocket
\nknives, films, photos, an undetermined amount of cash and
\nassorted other items," he said.<\/p>\n
"In the process of this robbery, they terrorized my children,
\nmy six-year-old son and my five-year-old daughter and frightened
\nmy Indonesian wife," added West.<\/p>\n
According to West, he was out at the time getting food
\nprepared for the Ramadhan fasting month morning meal. West said
\nhe and his family were Moslems.<\/p>\n
Shortly after he returned, the military official grabbed him
\nand demanded a Rp 5 million bribe, West said.<\/p>\n
"When I told him I didn't have it, he punched me in the
\nmouth," he said.<\/p>\n
The official then lowered the amount to Rp 500,000.<\/p>\n
"When I told him that I didn't have it, he hit me in the
\nstomach and ripped the back of my shirt," said West.<\/p>\n
Burning flag<\/p>\n
Only at the police station West realized he was being detained
\nfor having photos he categorized as "slightly offensive
\npictures".<\/p>\n
West said he refused to sign the papers relating to the
\nquestioning because he wasn't sure what it was because it was
\nwritten in Indonesian.<\/p>\n
He said his passport and visa were both valid.<\/p>\n
Even though he had problems with the American government, West
\nsaid he still hoped the embassy could do something to get him out
\nof isolation in that place.<\/p>\n
West said his poor relations with the U.S. government were due
\nto past political differences but a reliable source told the Post
\nSaturday West had once burned the American flag in Singapore a
\nfew years ago.<\/p>\n
West said he had no idea what the Indonesian authorities want
\nto do to him.<\/p>\n
"Unofficially, the embassy has been informed that Indonesia
\nwants to expel me all the way back to the U.S. at my expense,"
\nsaid West.<\/p>\n
He said he wanted to get away from the quarantine center as
\nsoon as possible due to the bad condition of the cell, the
\nabsolute minimum amount of food given out and the impossibility
\nof making contact with friends and relatives.<\/p>\n
West said he was with six other foreigners in the small cell,
\nwith no mattresses to sleep on.<\/p>\n
When asked for comment, U.S. press attache Craig Stromme said:
\n"What I can say is that our consular officer has visited and
\nrendered appropriate assistance to West."<\/p>\n
Stromme said he guaranteed the embassy would treat West the
\nsame as any other American citizen. (bsr)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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