Students on trial<\/p>\n
Although the finishing sequels to the drama may yet have to be
\nplayed, the curtain, for now, has fallen on one of the most
\nbizarre shows ever seen on this country's judicial stage.<\/p>\n
Pandemonium broke loose at the Central Jakarta District Court
\non Wednesday as the chief judge read out the sentences,
\ncondemning 21 student protesters to six months each in prison for
\ndefaming President Soeharto. During the final session of one of
\nthe three separate trials, which were held to judge the students,
\na defendant promptly appealed the verdict while reading out a
\n"political statement." Prosecutors hurriedly tried to put a lid
\non the declaration, but four of the defendants locked arms to
\nform a chain and finished the statement despite the intervention.<\/p>\n
Students and photographers attending the verdict reading
\nclambered onto the benches and angry shouts filled the courtroom.
\nSpectators called the trial a farce and yells of "long live the
\nstudents" rang out. Outside, posters and banners were unfurled.<\/p>\n
Certainly, the guilty verdicts and the sentencing of each of
\nthe 21 student protesters accused of defaming President Soeharto
\nby the Central Jakarta District Court come as no surprise to
\nanybody.<\/p>\n
For those who have been following the trial, the court
\nproceedings of the past several weeks must have been indication
\nenough of what was in store. And yet, a few notes seem to be
\nworth making here. First, it should be noted that there are quite
\na considerable number of people who consider a six-month prison
\nterm for the kind of offense committed an overreaction. After
\nall, the protesters were students, young people prone to using
\nhyperbolic language, and they were making their protest inside
\nthe House of Representatives compound.<\/p>\n
Secondly, however, it should be noted that the moderate -- by
\nIndonesian standards -- nature of the verdict seemed to have
\nsurprised even the defendants and their supporters attending the
\ntrial. Reports said it was only after the political implications
\nof the guilty verdict began to sink in that the boisterous
\nprotest erupted.<\/p>\n
As recently as in February, another youthful protester, Nuku
\nSoleiman, was sentenced to four years of imprisonment for the
\nsame offense. At that time, the court ruled that the defendant
\nhad been proven guilty of defaming the President by circulating
\n1,500 stickers criticizing the now defunct SDSB state-sanctioned
\nlottery. The stickers were reportedly distributed to members of
\nthe House of Representatives during a hearing with the Minister
\nof Social Welfare, Inten Soeweno. Other cases of a similar nature
\nmight be recalled, but as far as we can remember the verdict
\npronounced on Wednesday was the lightest so far.<\/p>\n
Needless to say, assuming that this particular development can
\nbe taken to indicate a shift in perception, there is reason for
\ngratitude. After almost 30 years of successful -- indeed
\nphenomenal -- development, accompanied by a process of ever
\nintensifying globalization, a new generation of Indonesians has
\nemerged. Many of our young people are impatient with the pace of
\nsocial and political reform that is now taking place. While on
\nthe one hand propriety will always remain an important ingredient
\nof effective communication, on the other hand it is well for us
\nto understand that base conduct -- as the older generation
\nperceives it -- may have its reasons in relation to youthful
\nimpatience, plus a different societal background.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/students-on-trial-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}