Expert witnesses to testify in workers' lawsuit

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)