PRD chief hospitalized after hunger strike
JAKARTA (JP): Jailed leader of the Democratic People's Party (PRD) Budiman Sudjatmiko was rushed to hospital on Monday after a seven-day hunger strike, his lawyer said.
Yan Rino Sibuea of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) told The Jakarta Post that he took Budiman at about noon from the Cipinang Prison to the Police Hospital in Kramat Jati, East Jakarta.
"He vomited blood earlier in the morning as his condition has been deteriorating," Rino said.
Budiman was fed intravenously at the hospital, he added, but he "is still very weak".
He added that two other jailed PRD activists, Yakobus Eko Kurniawan and Ignatius Damianus Prabowo, who also were on hunger strike, were admitted to the same hospital on Sunday evening.
Budiman, Yakobus and Ignatius received prison sentences of 13 years, eight years and nine years respectively for subversion.
Budiman and four other jailed PRD leaders started the hunger strike last Tuesday to raise awareness about their demand for a free and fair general election scheduled for June 7. They also called for the military to end their role in politics as a prerequisite for fair elections.
Minister of Justice Muladi said on Monday that Budiman's action and demand were inappropriate.
"His demand is weird. (The poll) has not yet happened, we are all still fussing about the issue... just how could we meet such a demand?
"Free and fair is a sure thing. And I... am risking all to make it happen," he said at the House of Representatives.
Instead of going on a hunger strike, Budiman should use PRD's representatives in the General Elections Commission to fight for the issue.
"But we'll prevent him from killing himself," he said.
Separately, chairman of the General Elections Commission (KPU) Rudini suggested on Monday that the PRD member on the National Elections Committee either be replaced or PRD's representative on the committee be eliminated all together if the party continued its campaign against holding the polls in East Timor.
The issue of whether the troubled province should take part in the election has been discussed by the KPU, with the commission ruling the election would be held in the province. During the discussion, the PRD issued a statement against holding the election in East Timor.
However, PRD's representative on the commission, Hendri Kuok, said the party suggested it was better to hold a referendum rather than an election in East Timor. A direct ballot to determine East Timor's future is planned after the June 7 general election. "We never said we would boycott the polls in East Timor," Hendri said.
On Saturday, the director of public administration and regional autonomy, Ryaas Rasyid, said the government could disband PRD if it was proved the party was conducting an "intensive movement" to urge East Timorese to boycott the general election, Kompas daily reported.
He said PRD was being inconsistent by rejecting the new elections law and calling for a boycott of the polls in East Timor while agreeing to sit on the General Elections Commission.
However, Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid said on Monday that only the Supreme Court had the power to ban a party, and it was sufficient to merely "correct" PRD. (byg/aan/edt)