Gus Dur to testify in court
Gus Dur to testify in court
R.K. Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura
Former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid is scheduled to
appear at the Jayapura District Court on Oct. 22, 2001, to give
testimony on behalf of several executives of the Papuan Council
Presidium (PDP) who have been charged with subversion.
A team of lawyers who accompanied the defendants in the
subversion case, said they had gained confirmation from the
former president that the latter would testify in court.
"We have met with Gus Dur at his residence in Jakarta and he
has confirmed his readiness to testify. Gus Dur will arrive in
the city on Oct. 22 from Bangkok, where he is scheduled to
deliver a speech during a seminar on international terrorism,"
Latifah Anom Siregar, coordinator of the lawyers team, said upon
arrival here from Jakarta over the weekend.
Gus Dur is to give testimony in connection with his Rp 1
billion contribution for the Dec. 1, 2000 Papuan People's
Congress in the city.
Aside from Gus Dur, Bambang Wijoyanto, director of the
Foundation of Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI) and former
Irian Jaya deputy governor Djopari, will also appear as witnesses
in the court session. Bambang is to testify as an expert witness
while Djopari is to testify to the court in relation to his role
of granting permission for the congress to be held.
Theys Hiu Eluay, PDP chairman, Thaha Al Hamid, PDP secretary-
general, Don A. Flassy, chairman of the Independent Youth
Organization, Rev. Herman Awom and John Mambor, a PDP member, are
facing life imprisonment for their alleged involvement in the
movement to incite the Papuan people to fight for the province's
independence.
The congress had sparked clashes between PDP supporters and
local riot police leaving scores of police personnel and
civilians injured. At least six people were killed in a bloody
clash between proindependence Papuans and security personnel in
Merauke a day after the congress.
The defendants appreciated Gus Dur's willingness to provide
testimony to the court.
"For the Papuan people, Gus Dur is not only a statesman but
also an intellectual who has a special place in the hearts of the
Papuan people," Thaha Al Hamid, PDI secretary-general, said.