Mistreated PPP faithful seek rights commission protection
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)