LBH takes number of complaints during the year

JAKARTA (JP): As many as 20,357 people, mostly from Greater Jakarta, visited the capital's Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) to seek legal advice from December of last year to November, its executive said.

Out of that number, 14 women complained that men had refused to marry them after taking their virginity, the institute's director, Apong Herlina, said at a year-end press conference on Tuesday.

"In court, we always lost these cases because there is no law which holds men accountable in these cases," the head of the institute's civil rights and political division, Daniel Pandjaitan, explained.

The institute, he said, suggested that the government review related laws and add an article which could force males to meet their promises after deflowering their partners.

According to Apong, approximately one-third of the 1,513 cases lodged at the institute's office on Jl. Diponegoro in Central Jakarta were over labor disputes.

"Labor disputes, mostly over massive dismissals, will still be one of the most complicated problems next year if the government fails to create more job opportunities," she said.

According to Apong, the institute's labor division dealt with 10,868 workers who were dismissed by their employers due to the prolonged economic crisis.

Meanwhile, the head of the labor division, Surya Tjandra, said the workers tended to distrust official settlements, including those arranged by the Ministry of Manpower or the courts.

"The workers preferred to stage demonstrations rather than asking the government for help. Many cases were settled after the workers staged rallies," Surya said.

He said rallies had already helped thousands of workers, including the ground staff of private airline Sempati Air, employees of Wall-Mart superstore and staff at private Bank Umum Nasional.

He said that most of the labor cases reported to the institute during the last year dealt with contract violations, suspensions, pensions, minimum wage violations, the freedom to join worker unions and the Jamsostek scheme.

"We regretted that military and police officers were still involved in many labor disputes, backing up employers in facing the protesting workers."

"Worse still, some employers hired hoodlums to intimidate workers," Surya said.

The institute, which is home to a number of lawyers, also represented government critics and students who were put on trial.

Other cases reported to the institute included complaints about deceitful developers from people who had just purchased houses; a dispute between 80 disabled workers of Swa Prasidya Purna workshop and the workshop's operator, former president Soeharto's stepbrother Probosutedjo; and the controversy between becak (pedicab) drivers and Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso.

Looking ahead to next year, the head of the institute's land and environmental division, Waskito Adiribowo, said "the city will also witness more land conflicts next year, not only between land owners and the government, but also between people who claim ownership of the land."

Adiribowo added that there will be more "horizontal conflicts" over land.

Apong concluded: "Although it's difficult to say, we believe that 1998 was a horrible year." (jun)