Pakpahan's children seek international help

Pakpahan's children seek international help

JAKARTA (JP): Children of labor leader Muchtar Pakpahan, who
is on trial for subversion, are seeking international help for
their father.

They claim the government has paid poor attention to his
health and they wish to gain international support in their
appeal to have him receive medical treatment abroad.

They are also appealing for a fair trial for Pakpahan.

Binsar Jonatan Pakpahan, Pakpahan's first son, said Tuesday
that he and his siblings were very worried about their father.

"We're worried, more so because the government won't permit
him to seek treatment abroad. We wish one of us could be present
at the International Labor Organization's conference next month
(in Geneva) to tell them of our father's real condition," he
said.

International Labor Organization official-in-charge here, Mia
Moto, said yesterday she could not comment on the possibility of
someone representing Pakpahan at the conference. She said the
matter should be discussed with headquarters in Geneva.

On March 7, Pakpahan was admitted to Cikini Hospital in
Central Jakarta, four days after he yelled at a judge in court
for ignoring his deteriorating health.

Doctors said he had suffered a slight stroke. Later he was
said to have a lung tumor but tests came back negative.

After further examination, doctors revealed he had
tuberculosis.

Pakpahan's wife, Rosintan, said Pakpahan was unable to take
the prescribed medication. "Every time he swallowed the medicine,
his body trembled," she said.

On March 18, United States' Assistant Secretary of State John
Shattuck visited him during a fact-finding mission on human
rights.

Shattuck reportedly told Pakpahan to seek treatment in the
U.S., but the proposal was rejected by Minister of Justice Oetojo
Oesman, who said medication in Indonesia was good enough.

Pakpahan, leader of the unrecognized Indonesian Prosperous
Labor Union, is charged with making antigovernment remarks,
undermining the government and sowing hatred against the
government in speeches last year.

Pakpahan's three children also thanked all parties, mostly
from overseas, who had supported the family by sending
"thousands" of letters and cards, and apologized for not having
responded to all of them. (05)