Expert witnesses to testify in workers' lawsuit

JAKARTA (JP): The Teater Buruh Indonesia (Indonesian Workers Theater Group) will present expert witnesses in their lawsuit against the head of the City Directorate of Social and Political Affairs at the Jakarta State Administrative Court.

Presiding judge Benyamin Mangkoedilaga agreed yesterday with the group's demand to present expert witnesses in the next trial session. "I agree with it," he said.

The group filed a lawsuit against Bagus Suharyono, the head of the directorate, whom they accuse of slapping a ban on their planned performance of a play last month.

The group's lawyer, Pardomuan Simanjuntak disclosed that they will present three expert witnesses: member of the National Commission on Human Rights Albert Hasibuan, legislator Sabam Sirait and literature critic Remi Silado.

Simanjuntak told reporters that the three witnesses are ready to testify in the court. "Hasibuan will review the case from a human rights perspective, Sirait will look the case from labor aspects, and Silado will analyze the case from the art and cultural point of view."

He said that the National Commission on Human Rights had told the group that there had been a violation in the banning of the play since it has curbed freedom of expression.

The head of the City Directorate of Social and Political Affairs has refused to issue a letter of recommendation on the staging of the play on the grounds that it could spark social unrest. It has also said that the word buruh (worker) used in some of the play's dialog as well as the name of the group was unacceptable because it had been used by the outlawed Indonesian Communist Party prior to the 1965 abortive coup.

The play, entitled Senandung Terpuruk dari Balik Tembok Pabrik (Miserable Symphony from behind the Factory Walls), describes the misery of highly exploited, poorly paid Indonesian workers.

However, the head of the directorate yesterday once again rejected the accusation, saying that he never issued a ban on the planned performance of the play.

"The head of the City Directorate of Social and Political Affairs has never issued such a ban at the expense of the Indonesian Workers Theater Group," Suharyono stated in his written rebuttal.

He also urged the presiding judge to dismiss the group's accusation.(29)