Lampung's PDI-P leader tried for attack

Lampung's PDI-P leader tried for attack

BANDARLAMPUNG, Lampung: The leader of Lampung's Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) Anshori Yunus stood
trial on Wednesday charged with attacking a construction worker
last year.

Prosecutor Sanusi Musa told the Tanjungkarang District Court
in Lampung that the defendant beat Subagio on June 22, 2001 and
the victim sustained injuries to his right eye.

Subagio, who worked for Anshori's neighbor Hamdani, was
reportedly attacked because the victim defied the defendant's
warning not to construct a foundation for Hamdani's house on a
plot of land allegedly belonging to Anshori.

The suspect had been detained in Rajabasa prison in
Bandarlampung, but was later freed after spending only one day in
detention.

The trial was tightly guarded by police along with local
supporters of PDI Perjuangan, who arrived at 8 a.m.

Chief Judge S. Gani Parlaungan, who presided over the trial,
opened the proceeding at 11 a.m. and closed it after the
prosecutor read out his statement of claim against Anshori.

The trial went smoothly despite threats of disruption by
Anshori's men within the court, was adjourned until March 10 to
hear the defense plea from the defendant's lawyers. --JP

A policeman named suspect in torture case

YOGYAKARTA: The Yogyakarta provincial police named on
Wednesday Heri Subagyo, a police officer, as a suspect for
inflicting torture against Aan Yulianto, who died in the hospital
after being questioned by police over his suspected involvement
in a brawl between policemen and a group of youth in the city.

"The suspect admits that he hit Aan's head. He is now
under arrest," chief of police internal affairs
section Adj. Sr. Comr. Pudjijono E.S. told reporters on
Wednesday.

The 19-year-old Aan Yulianto is one of five witnesses
who were taken to provincial police headquarters for
questioning over a brawl on Jl. Magelang last week in
which a member of police mobile brigade Totok Sugiyarto was
wounded after being stabbed by an unknown assailant.

Aan died at Sardjito Hospital after undergoing surgery.
Doctors said that some of Aan's ribs were broken and that his
liver and lungs were badly damaged.

Aan's relatives have filed a complaint with the police,
charging police personnel of having torturing Aan during
questioning.

"There must have been more than one people who tortured Aan,
because it's impossible that one person with one strike could
cause such serious injuries to Aan," Pudjijono said, adding that
the investigation would continue. --JP

Journalist killed in Aceh shootout

MEDAN, North Sumatra: The management of the weekly magazine
Detective and Legal Supremacy has denied reports that one of
their journalists, Kaharuddin, 45, was killed last Saturday in a
gunfight between security forces and members of Free Aceh
Movement (GAM) in Peurelak subdistrict, East Aceh regency.

Edy Siregar, the executive editor of the magazine which was
formerly named Detective Espionage, said here on Wednesday they
had never hired a journalist called Kaharuddin since the
magazine's establishment in 1985.

Kompas daily on Wednesday ran a report that one of the eight
people who had been killed in Saturday's crossfire was Kaharuddin
as identified by a press card in his pocket, that indicated that
the victim worked for the now defunct Medan-based magazine
Detective Espionage.

"He might have got the card a long time ago, when the magazine
still existed; he is not our journalist and we have no knowledge
of the victim." Edy said.

Military personnel could not explain why the victim was at the
location when the shooting took place. Other sources said since
its inception, the magazine had changed its names several times.

In 1998, Supriadi, a Medan Post's journalist was shot dead by
an unknown gunman in East Aceh.--JP

People protest election of Kupang mayor

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Hundreds of people traveling by
truck from various districts of the city arrived at the Kupang
mayoralty office on Wednesday to stage a rally in protest against
the newly-elected mayor and his deputy.

Under tight police security, dissatisfied residents of the
city took to the streets to protest against the election of S.K
Lerik and Daniel Abdoe during a plenary session of the local
councillors.

S.K. Lerik and Daniel, both from Golkar Party, received 16
votes to defeat Albert Foenay and Nicaulus Frans of the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), who
only won 14 votes on March 23 election.

It was revealed later that the election was marred by money
politics, triggering representatives from 15 districts and the
local Students' Alliance to sign a petition asking the governor
not to approve their election.

A local councillor, Ferdinan T. Nonna made a written statement
admitting that his wife had received Rp 10 million from someone
in order that he voted for Lerik and Daniel.

The demonstrators have threatened to occupy the mayoralty
office if their demands are not met.--Antara