Activists face heavy sentences

SURABAYA, East Java: Prosecutors demanded eight years and six years imprisonment for two local members of the unrecognized Democratic People's Party (PRD) for alleged subversion.

Dita Indah Sari, 23, and Koen Hosein Pontoh, 27, have been charged with attempting to subvert the state and topple the government through their activities in Jakarta, Surabaya and other cities.

In Tuesday's session presided by chief judge Amrin D. Boer, the prosecution said the two had disturbed national unity and adversely affected national stability, productivity and foreign exchange income.

"It has been proven that they violated the Subversion Law," the prosecution was quoted by Antara as saying.

Dita and Pontoh said they were not scared of the prosecution's demands and vowed to fight on for their cause.

"I am not afraid, even if I have to live the rest of my life behind bars. I will not stop here, I will continue to fight for the interest of workers," Pontoh was quoted by Antara as saying.

The trial, along with the trial of M. Soleh, a fellow activist, has been dubbed one of the biggest political trials ever in Surabaya. Hundreds of police guarded the first sessions of the trial.

Dita heads the Center for Indonesian Workers Struggle, Pontoh is the coordinator of the National Farmers Association and Soleh is an executive of the Indonesian Students Solidarity for Democracy.

The prosecution said that all three organizations were under the umbrella of the PRD. The PRD's leaders are being tried for subversion in Jakarta.

Dita, Pontoh and Soleh had sought to repeal five laws on politics and the 1963 Subversion Law, under which they are now being tried.

The three also face lesser charges, like sowing enmity and hatred against the government.

They were arrested early in July after organizing two workers' rallies, each involving about 10,000 people from 10 factories at the Tandes industrial estate in southern Surabaya.

The rallies, which called for minimum wages in Surabaya to be raised from Rp 5,200 to Rp 7,000, ended violently when the military broke them up. While no deaths were reported, Dita, Pontoh and others at the rally were injured. (swe)