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)