PRD sentences<\/p>\n
When the Supreme Court of the United States makes important
\njudgments and interpretations of the U.S. Constitution and
\nnational ideals, they are viewed as matters of great national
\nimportance reflecting the very substance of national identity. In
\nthat context, I would like to comment on the significant rulings
\nmade by the Indonesian courts on April 28, 1997 that touched on
\nthe interpretation of the Pancasila national ideology when
\nsentencing Mr. Budiman Sudjatmiko to a term of imprisonment of 13
\nyears along with lengthy sentences for another eight PRD
\n(Democratic People's Party) members.<\/p>\n
The effects of the rulings, if I am not mistaken, was that Mr.
\nBudiman and his party's non-violent advocacy of multi-party
\npolitical democracy, social democracy, political reform and
\ncriticism of the government were subversive actions that are
\ninherently inconsistent with the Pancasila ideology, therefore
\nmeriting term of imprisonment that are comparable with similar
\nsentences handed down in China to activists there who attempt to
\n"undermine" that country's state ideology with pro-democracy
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
If we are to take the Indonesian judiciary seriously, the
\nabove judgments carry extremely serious consequences that, I
\nbelieve, appear to depart from the achievement of the New Order
\ngovernment in ridding Indonesia in the 1960s from the specter of
\ntotalitarian.<\/p>\n
Events in Indonesia are now being watched, perhaps more
\nclosely than at any time in its history, by international
\nexperts, academics and investors; while the subversion trials
\nthemselves are being scrutinized by observers from International
\nCommission of Jurists, the International Bar Association and
\nother respected international bodies. Indonesia can ill afford
\nfurther damage to its good name, especially in this increasingly-
\ncompetitive era of globalization.<\/p>\n
However, surely if the criticism of these young pro-democracy
\nactivists is unfounded and wrongly-targeted, is it not preferable
\nfor the government to use its unlimited human resources and media
\nfacilities to counter their arguments, rather than resorting to
\ndraconian double-digit imprisonment terms that appear to run
\ncontrary to article 28 of the 1945 Constitution and to the
\nresolve of the New Order administration to realize a "just and
\ncivilized humanity?"<\/p>\n
ROGER SMITH<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/prd-sentences-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }