Police challenge YLBHI over lawsuit

JAKARTA (JP): Police announced on Saturday that they are prepared to face a lawsuit filed by the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), which accused police of having abused the foundation's freedom to associate by abruptly breaking up its seminar about land disputes early this month.

"We are ready to face the lawsuit. We also have our law experts," said Lt. Col. Latief Rabar, a spokesman for City Police spokesman.

Latief said that,"It's an opportunity for us to try our legal system. It's not a matter of money, it's a matter of law".

The spokesman added that by law police are allowed to disperse a seminar or other meeting which is considered illegal.

Rita Serena Kolibonso, a lawyer for the foundation, said over the weekend that YLBHI had filed a lawsuit against the South Jakarta police precinct, demanding that police issue a public apology through three Indonesian newspapers for dispersing the seminar members.

YLBHI, an ardent supporter of human rights, asked the court handling the lawsuit to order the police to pay at least Rp 100 in restitution (5 U.S. cents).

"The plaintiff suffered through its inability to achieve the objective of the seminar, the loss of credibility as an institute which fights for the law and human rights," according to the suit, a copy of which was distributed to the press.

The seminar on Sept. 7 was still in its first session when a dozen of police officers stormed into the meeting hall at the Ministry of Health office building in South Jakarta.

The head of the platoon then asked the participants to leave, declaring that the meeting did not have police permission and was therefore illegal.

The seminar was to feature prominent speakers such as Maria Sumardjono, dean of the law school of the University of Gadjah Mada, Bambang Wijayanto of YLBHI and Dr. Erman Radjagukguk of the University of Indonesia.

Among the participants were members of the House of Representatives (DPR), the National Commission on Human Rights and activists from non-governmental organizations.

Rita said the police action went against the 1945 Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantee freedom of association and speech.

Sukardjo Adidjojo, another lawyer, said 1959 legislation requires a police permit for public gathering but that the law only applies when the nation is in a state of emergency. "And we're not in a state of emergency." (09)