Mistreated PPP faithful seek rights commission protection

JAKARTA (JP): A group of United Development Party (PPP) supporters from Jepara, Central Java, complained yesterday that local security personnel had persecuted them.

They have asked the National Commission on Human Rights for protection.

The group, accompanied by Yusak Agus from the non-governmental Jepara People's Development Foundation, told the human rights commission that they were accused of causing disturbances during the election campaign and that security officials mistreated them.

"Even during the cooling-off period, the villagers are still afraid to leave their homes, especially after dusk. Fear has caused many of them to flee their villages," Yusak told commission members Asmara Nababan and Mohammad Salim.

Yusak said the villages were PPP strongholds where the dominant Golkar lost votes in the last election five years ago.

A report compiled by the party's Jepara branch office said police had arbitrarily arrested 53 villagers in the regency and beat them during questioning.

As of Sunday, two villagers were still being detained.

The report said one PPP supporter was killed and another seven were injured from beatings and stabbings in campaign-related violence committed by police or Golkar supporters.

It said 21-year-old Nur Khoiri died when his motorbike was hit by a speeding car driven by First Corporal Harwanto, a member of Batealit police subprecinct, in Ngabul, on May 11.

Harwanto was trying to escape from an angry mob and sped up only to hit Agus Budiyanto and Achmad Saichu who were on a motorbike.

The mob caught and beat Harwanto.

Jupri, one of the villagers who claims to have been tortured, said yesterday that police cracked down on his village after a clash between PPP and Golkar supporters on May 21.

"They took us from our houses in the afternoon and beat us at the police station even though we said we were innocent. We were given only one meal during the two-day detention," Jupri said.

He suffered head wounds from being beaten with a rifle butt.

The same wound was also seen on the head of his neighbor, Edy Mohammad Chudori.

Jupri's friend, Abdul Fatah, had bruises on his right ear. (01/amd)