Pijar honors activists

Pijar honors activists

JAKARTA (JP): Pijar Indonesia, a vocal human rights organization, awarded three women, including one described by the government as an anti-Indonesia campaigner, with awards for their contribution to the promotion of human rights and democracy in Indonesia.

Pijar Indonesia, a network of young human rights activists, announced that Yeni Rosa Damayanti, Hayati and Carmel Budiardjo are recipients of this year's Pijar Democracy awards.

Yeni is a former student activist of the Nasional University who is now studying in the Netherlands, while Hayati is an activist at the Medan branch of the Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI).

Carmel is with Tapol, a London-based organization which has been campaigning against the Indonesian government on various issues. The organization is named after the Indonesian abbreviation for Tahanan Politik (Political Detainees).

None of the winners were present at the ceremony and the awards were given to their representatives. Yeni was represented by her mother, Hayati by a fellow unionist and Carmel by H.C.J. Princen. Controversial politician Sri Bintang Pamungkas was among those present at the ceremony yesterday. (rms)