Parents of dead student enraged

BANDUNG: The parents of Eri Rachman, a freshman from the State Administration Institute (STPDN) who was allegedly tortured to death by his seniors in March, are irate after learning that the court has still not tried their son's case.

Atong Effendi, Eri's father, went to Bandung Legal Aid Body on Tuesday asking for help. "The dossier were submitted to the district court on March 11, the trial has yet to open...There are already 24 witnesses, including me, Eri's friends, institute officials and a doctor".

Atong said local prosecutors told him that they were still trying to find two eye witnesses who saw Eri being beaten up by his seniors.

Eri was allegedly attacked by seven of his seniors for arriving late to the institute in Jatinangor, some 10 kilometers east of Bandung.

Atong said that he had filed a letter to President Abdurrahman Wahid about the matter on April 19. "I sent another letter on June 21, but I got no response."(25/sur)