Court rejects journalists' lawsuit
Court rejects journalists' lawsuit
JAKARTA: The South Jakarta District Court turned down on
Tuesday the lawsuit filed by two press associations against the
government, police and the Indonesian military (TNI) for not
prosecuting a soldier linked to the murder of a reporter in 1996.
The panel of five judges, led by Judge Tusani Djafri, ruled
that the district court had no jurisdiction to hear the case
filed by the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) and the
South East Asia Press Alliance (SEAPA).
"The plaintiff shall bring the case to the state
administrative court instead, as it is connected to alleged abuse
by the authorities," Tusani said at the hearing.
The plaintiffs' lawyer, Daniel Panjaitan, would appeal the
verdict.
A journalist with Yogyakarta-based Bernas daily, Muhammad
"Udin" Syafiudin, was killed in 1996 following his report on an
alleged corruption case involving officials of Bantul regency,
which led to the dismissal of the regent.
Second Adj. Insp. Edy Wuryanto stood trial at the military
tribunal for throwing Udin's blood-stained shirt, which was
supposedly key evidence, into the sea. The case remains unsolved.
A witness, Dwi Sumadji, said he saw Edy beat Udin before he
was killed by a group of people, but was instead named a suspect
in the case and was tried, although he was acquitted. -- JP
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Thermal scanner at Soekarno-Hatta Intl Airport
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Thermal scanner placed at airports
JAKARTA: The Ministry of Health has installed a thermal
scanner at the Terminal D international arrival hall of Soekarno-
Hatta International Airport.
The secretary to the Directorate General of Communicable
Diseases and Environmental Health (P2M), Syafii Anwar, said on
Tuesday the equipment would be fully operational sometime next
week after several trials had been carried out.
Thermal scanners will also be placed at: Ngurah Rai
International Airport in Denpasar, Bali; Juanda Airport in
Surabaya, East Java; Polonia Airport in Medan, North Sumatra; and
Hang Nadim International Airport in Batam.
The new device is part of the government's campaign against
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
Syafii said the government also planned to distribute pre-
departure health declaration cards for passengers, which would be
distributed with every ticket purchase.
"We will cooperate with airlines and travel agents through
their associations," he said, "and make sure that all passengers
fill the card before boarding their flights." -- JP
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Bomb suspects' testimony requested
DENPASAR, Bali: A lawyer defending Muslim cleric Abu Bakar
Ba'asyir said on Tuesday prosecutors would bring one defendant
and four suspects in the Bali bombing case to Jakarta to testify
against his client, who is standing trial for treason.
Mohammad Mahendradatta, the coordinator of the Muslim Lawyers
Team (TPM), said the intention to bring the Bali bombing
defendant and suspects to Jakarta had been explicitly stated by
Hasan Madani, the chief prosecutor in Ba'asyir's case.
Amrozi and his brothers Ali Gufron and Ali Imron, Hutomo
Pamungkas, alias Mubarok, and the alleged mastermind of the
bombings, Imam Samudra, were expected to be transported to
Jakarta sometime next week to appear at Ba'asyir's hearing on May
29.
"For a long time, we assumed that the prosecutors were trying
to implicate our client with the bombings in Bali. The facts the
Bali bombing suspects and defendant will present to the trial
will prove that our assumption is not groundless," Mahendradatta
said.
Spokesman for the Bali Prosecutor's Office Muhammad Salim said
he had no information on the plan to take Amrozi and his
colleagues to Jakarta.
"If the information is accurate, then we would have to discuss
it first with the presiding judges on the bombing, since Amrozi
is currently under the custody of the Denpasar District Court,"
he said. -- JP
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PDI gets new name
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PDI gets new name
JAKARTA: One of the parties formed during the early years of
the New Order, the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), has changed
its name to the Upholder of Indonesian Democracy Party (PDI
Party).
Declaring the new name was former chairman Soerjadi during a
ceremony here on Tuesday. The party changed its name in order to
be allowed to contest the 2004 general elections.
In the 1999 election, PDI won less than 2 percent of votes,
burying its hopes of participating in the 2004 election, as the
election law adopted a 2 percent electoral threshold.
The law states that a party which does not meet the threshold
must either form a coalition with another party or register as a
new party to contest the election.
Soerjadi chairs PDI Party's advisory council, Dimmy Haryanto
chairs the party, and Yoseph Lea Wea is the party's secretary
general. -- Antara
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AG told to probe into Priok case
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AG told to probe into Priok case
JAKARTA: The House of Representatives Commission II for law
and human rights has urged Attorney General M.A. Rachman to bring
the Tanjung Priok case to court.
The 1984 incident took an estimated 400 casualties.
The Attorney General's Office has named 14 suspects, including
Indonesian Military (TNI) officers, in the case.
Former vice president Gen. (ret) Try Sutrisno, who has been
linked to the bloodshed due to his post as the Jakarta military
commander at the time of the incident, has made peace with the
victims' families.
Coordinator of the Tanjung Priok victims' families, Muhtar
Benny Biki, told House Commission II members the case was put on
hold because of the peaceful agreement.
"A letter signed by Col. Setiawan from TNI headquarters was
sent to the Attorney General's Office and the House, saying that
the peaceful settlement was enough and there was no need to
proceed with the investigation," said Muhtar. -- Antara