Moslem students protest over Irian Jaya land row<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Fifty Moslem students marched to the Supreme
\nCourt building yesterday, demanding the resignation of Chief
\nJustice Soerjono over his controversial move in a land dispute in
\nIrian Jaya.<\/p>\n
The members of the Indonesian Moslem Students Association
\n(HMI) demanded that Soerjono retract his recent letter which
\noverturned the Supreme Court's verdict to award an Irian man Rp
\n18 billion (about US$8.3 million) in a land dispute with the
\nlocal administration.<\/p>\n
Soerjono said in his letter that the verdict could not be
\nexecuted because the Irian Jaya governor is not a public legal
\nbody which has its own property.<\/p>\n
\"We demand that the chief justice reverse his decision stated
\nin the letter,\" one of the students read from a statement. \"We
\ndemand that the Jayapura District Court execute the ruling.\"<\/p>\n
\"We demand that the chief justice resign so that the law can
\nbe upheld,\" the student said. \"All legal procedures should be
\nconducted in a transparent manner in order not to confuse the
\npublic.\"<\/p>\n
The students unfurled banners and posters containing strong
\ncriticism against Soerjono. \"We are fed up ... we can't be
\nfooled,\" said a poster.<\/p>\n
Led by HMI chairman Umar Husein, a group of seven students
\nwere allowed inside the building, although they did not get to
\nmeet with Soerjono.<\/p>\n
The delegation was met by the court's secretary-general Toton
\nSuprapto, who repeated an earlier statement that the Supreme
\nCourt had the authority to supervise and monitor the activities
\nof lower courts.<\/p>\n
Toton also reiterated his suggestion that the plaintiff file
\nanother lawsuit, this time against the institutions rather than
\nthe individuals.<\/p>\n
The students who waited outside sang patriotic songs and
\nchanted Allahu Akbar (God is Great), before dispersing peacefully
\nan hour later.<\/p>\n
Chief Justice Soerjono has been widely criticized for sending
\na \"personal\" letter intervening in the execution of a Supreme
\nCourt ruling in a land dispute between the provincial government
\nand Hanoch Hebe Ohee.<\/p>\n
The Supreme Court had ruled in favor of Ohee and ordered the
\nIrian Jaya governor and a number of the Irian Jaya government
\noffices to pay Rp 18.6 billion for land appropriated from the
\nOngge and Hanoch sub-clans, which Ohee represented in his suit.
\n(swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/moslem-students-protest-over-irian-jaya-land-row-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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