JP/2/Titi

Pressure mounts to probe death of labor activist

BANDUNG (JP): The Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) and the Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI) yesterday separately urged the government to continue the investigation into the mysterious death of a labor activist in Sumedang, West Java.

The police who have been investigating the case, have not ruled out the possibility that Titi Sugiarti, an employee of a textile company, was murdered, but have declined to link her death with her work.

Lt. Col. A. Rochjana, chief of the Sumedang Police, said preliminary investigations found that Titi, 23 years old, was not a labor activist as some local organizations have suggested.

None of her colleagues could support the suggestion that she was a labor activist, Rochjana said.

"We still don't know whether she died an accidental death or whether she was murdered and if that was the case, what was the motive," he said.

He added that the investigation was continuing and police have already questioned 13 people. "We're serious about investigating the case. Let's hope we can solve this in the near future."

YLBHI spokesman Hendardi said the authorities should conduct a thorough investigation into her death.

SBSI in a separate statement said that besides a full inquiry, police must also take steps to protect the lives of workers.

Found floating

Titi's body was found on April 30 floating at the waste pond owned by PT Kahatex where she worked. She had participated in labor demonstrations days before her death, which has evoked calls from human rights organizations for a prompt investigation, with many drawing parallels to the murder of labor activist Marsinah in Surabaya, East Java, last month.

Five employees of the watchmaking company where Marsinah worked have been sentenced to jail for her murder and four others, including its director, are still standing trial.

The Nusantara Legal Aid Foundation insisted that Titi had been a labor activist since 1992, although she never took a direct part in organizing an industrial action.

The Bandung-based foundation, which has launched its own investigation into her death, said that Titi had been taking courses on the rights of workers and was in fact planning to stage a demonstration at PT Kahatex later this month.

Foundation chairman Effendi Saman said that although the company has complied with the government's minimum wage regulation, it has not accorded its workers its full rights.

Titi's colleagues for example pointed out that the company had provided little financial assistance to arrange for the return of Titi's body to her home village in East Java. Most of the money was paid out of her insurance and also from her cooperative savings. (emb)