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

;JP;SPS; ANPAa..r.. SARS-scanner-airports Thermal scanner at Soekarno-Hatta Intl Airport JP/4/scene

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

;JP;AMD; ANPAa..r.. Scene-Bali-trial JP/4/SCENE

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

;JP;SPS; ANPAa..r.. Scene-party-name PDI gets new name JP/4/scene

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

;JP;SPS; ANPAa..r.. Scene-rights-Priok AG told to probe into Priok case JP/4/SCENE

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