Judges allow private lawsuit

Judges allow private lawsuit

JAKARTA: In a landmark decision the Central Jakarta District
Court has allowed a private lawsuit to be heard in court.

Monday's decision was taken by a panel of three judges led by
Andi Samsan Nganro in response to a lawsuit filed by a group of
plaintiffs, including women's rights activist Nursyahbani
Katjasungkana and social worker Father Sandyawan, over the
humanitarian tragedy in the East Kalimantan town of Nunukan last
year.

The defendants comprise the president, vice president,
coordinating minister for people's welfare, foreign affairs
minister, manpower and transmigration minister, health minister,
Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia and immigration directorate.

The plaintiffs, acting for the public, said the government had
failed to protect Indonesian workers and their families who left
Malaysia following its implementation of strict immigration laws
in August last year. Dozens of people died in Nunukan, East
Kalimantan where thousands of workers and their families sought
refuge.

According to the judges, every citizen had the right to defend
public interests and were eligible to act on behalf of the
general public against the state.

Although the country's legal system does not recognize a
lawsuit filed by citizens, the lawsuit is a breakthrough, the
ruling said. -- JP