Critics blast govt's stance on freedom

JAKARTA (JP): A number of vocal government critics attacked the government's stance on freedom of speech yesterday as they took turns testifying in the trial of 21 students charged with defaming President Soeharto.

"Their protests were obviously responses to unsolved problems," Abdurrahman Wahid, chairman of the Forum for Democracy, said referring to the students' demonstration last December, which resulted in their arrests.

Other critics to take the witness stand during yesterday's court session, including theologian Franz Magnis-Suseno and former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin, also defended the students.

Two legislators, who were also the targets of the students' protest, testified for the students saying they were not offended by the slogans and shouts attacking them and saw them as constructive criticism.

The students are being accused of defaming the head of state, an offense punishable by a maximum six years' imprisonment, in connection with their demonstration at the House of Representatives (DPR) last December. Police said their shouts and posters were intended to discredit President Soeharto.

Abdurrahman told the Central Jakarta District Court that protests could serve as an effective means to channel the will of the people when other conventional means have failed.

The constitution grants people the freedom of expression and the students' action is covered by this, he added.

Abdurrahman, who is also chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia's largest Moslem organization, testified that the students had obvious reasons to back up their action, which was demanding the House to take the initiative to press the government for better democratic life in the country.

"It is natural if people here ask whether democracy has been fully implemented, because even in countries where democracy is well maintained people still ask these kinds of questions," he said.

He also said that the people should thank the students for having the guts to stage the demonstration. "If nobody wants to express their point of view, people will have more and more apathy in viewing the situation in Indonesia."

Suseno, an expert in political philosophy, testified that the use of strong words was often necessary to convey a message or to attract attention to one's cause.

Only criticism

He felt that the posters, banners and words chanted by the students during the protest had nothing to do with defamation because they there were only criticisms prodding the House to become more critical towards the problems in society.

"Criticism is criticism. It should be treated the way it is," he said, adding that criticism is an important element in democracy.

The 21 students were arrested on Dec. 14 when they staged the demonstration at the House compound demanding that the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) hold an emergency session to bring Soeharto to account for a number of clashes between the military and the civilians during 1993.

The 21 students have been divided into three groups of four, six and eleven based on their perceived level of guilt.

The trials yesterday also heard two legislators defending the students' action.

Sri Bintang Pamungkas of the United Development Party (PPP) and Sabam Sirait of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) told the court that the student demonstration were within their constitutional rights.

"It's natural that the students staged the protest. It's true that DPR has not fulfilled its duty effectively," said Bintang.

"The arrest was not constitutional!" he added.

Bintang said he agreed with the students' demands for an extraordinary MPR session. "There have been many violations," he said.

Ali Sadikin recalled in his testimony that he was often the target of sharp criticisms during his tenure as Jakarta governor, including when he decided to legalize casinos in the Indonesian capital to raise fund for development.

"Public criticism is natural," he said. (par)