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)