Pakpahan testifies at activists' trial<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Muchtar Pakpahan, chairman of the Indonesian
\nProsperous Labor Union who was released from jail Tuesday,
\ntestified yesterday at the trial of four union members charged of
\nillegally holding a rally on Jl. Thamrin, Central Jakarta, on
\nMarch 9.<\/p>\n
He told the Central Jakarta District Court that he had ordered
\nthe union members to hold the demonstration.<\/p>\n
The demonstration was one of 10 union rallies held throughout
\nthe city on March 9.<\/p>\n
\"I told my members about the plan when I was being treated at
\nCikini Hospital. I'm responsible for the demonstration,\" Pakpahan
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said the union had sent a notification letter to the
\nNational Police chief about the rallies, asking the police to
\nsafeguard the demonstrators.<\/p>\n
Several protesters were arrested March 9, some of whom have
\nbeen released.<\/p>\n
The four defendants, Kuldip Singh, Widhi Wahyu, Wandy
\nNicodemus Tuturoong and Farah Diba Agustine, were the only
\ndemonstrators to be indicted.<\/p>\n
Farah was released earlier on her family's request, while the
\nother three have remained in custody.<\/p>\n
Before hearing Pakpahan's testimony, the panel of judges led
\nby I.G.N. Putra, approved the defense's request for Kuldip, Widhi
\nand Wandy to be released from detention.<\/p>\n
Pakpahan, who was sentenced for four years in jail on charges
\nthat he incited a riot in Medan, North Sumatra, in 1994, said the
\nprotesters planned to march to the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
The demonstrators demanded price cuts for staple foods, an end
\nto worker dismissals, eradication of corruption and Pakpahan's
\nrelease.<\/p>\n
Dozens of union supporters packed the courtroom yesterday,
\nsinging songs and showing support for the release for the four
\ndefendants.<\/p>\n
The judges, in a provisional decision, rejected the defense's
\nrequest that the case be dismissed.<\/p>\n
\"We do not agree with the defense's statement. We believe the
\nprosecution's indictment statement is clear,\" judge Putra said.<\/p>\n
He said Law No. 5\/1963 on political activities applied to the
\ncase and that the law had never been revoked.<\/p>\n
The court also said it would not declare the defendants'
\ndetention as illegal, saying that the matter should be examined
\nin a pretrial hearing.<\/p>\n
Defense lawyer Trimedya Panjaitan said the judges' decision to
\ncontinue the trial was deplorable, arguing that the court had yet
\nto understand the reform movement's call for political freedoms.<\/p>\n
\"The judges are behaving the same way as if this was still the
\nold regime. Under the new government, all political trials should
\nbe ended,\" Trimedya said. (jun)<\/p>",
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