Prosecutors push for July 27 case

JAKARTA: Prosecutors asked the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday to continue investigating the attack on the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters on July 27, 1996, saying that the case had a strong legal basis.

Prosecutor Manik rejected an earlier claim by lawyers of five defendants -- three civilians and two military officers -- that the case was groundless.

"We demanded that the court allow us to continue with the case. The dossiers are legitimate," Manik told the court.

Last week, the defendants' lawyers urged the court to throw the case out, saying that the prosecutors failed to produce the "suspects in the attack of PDI headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta".

The lawyers claimed the three civilian defendants were actually victims, while the two military officers had merely followed orders.

Backed by military and police officers, hundreds of people attacked supporters of ousted PDI chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, who tried to defend the headquarters after being forcibly replaced by her rival Suryadi.

Several top military and police officers, including former Jakarta Military Commander Lt. Gen. (ret) Sutiyoso, who is now Jakarta Governor, were responsible for the attack, which reportedly claimed dozens of lives. Hundreds of supporters also went missing during the incident and their whereabouts are still unknown. -- Antara

;JP;DMR; ANPAj..r.. Greater-worker-robbery Worker robbed, suffers 3-day coma JP/8/GREAT

Worker robbed, suffers 3-day coma

JAKARTA: A migrant worker who just arrived from Saudi Arabia was robbed in a hotel on Jl. Buncit Raya, South Jakarta, and was in a drug-induced coma for three days.

Salimin, 42, who worked as a driver in Arabia for 1,200 real (Rp 2.5 million) a month, said two men claiming to be from Blitar and Tulung Agung in East Java approached him upon his arrival at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Friday. Salimin was about to return to his hometown in Kediri, East Java.

The two men asked him to join them to return to East Java by train, but instead they took Salimin and checked in at the Maharani Hotel.

"They offered me jamu (traditional herbal medicine) to drink, so that I could stay fresh. But then I fell unconscious. I think they had mixed something into the jamu," Salimin told reporters after reporting the case to Mampang Police station on Monday.

A bell boy found Salimin unconscious, with his body wedged in the door to room No. 716. He was then rushed to Fatmawati general hospital for treatment.

"They took Rp 5 million (US$610) in cash and important documents in my suitcase," said Salimin.

The police are still investigating the case. -- JP

;JP;MLT; ANPAj..r.. Greater-haj-civil servant Civil servants funded to go on haj JP/8/GREAT

Civil servants funded to go on haj

TANGERANG: A total of 30 outstanding civil servants in the Tangerang regency administration, whose period of service extends beyond 15 years, will join the haj pilgrimage next year at the administration's expense.

Administration spokesman Maman Soetoyo said on Monday that the fund would be taken from the administration's civil servants welfare fund.

"Only those who have made outstanding achievements during their 15-year career and have not yet been on a haj pilgrimage will be given the opportunity," he said.

Hamdani a deputy chairman of the Tangerang branch of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) said that such attention would encourage other civil servants to improve their performance.

He also called on factory managements in the regency to provide similar awards to outstanding employees. -- JP

;JP;YAN;BERITAJAKARTA; ANPAj..r.. Greater-shelter-rape C. Jakarta has shelter for rape victims JP/8/GREAT

C. Jakarta opens rape refuge center

JAKARTA: Central Jakarta's Mental and Spiritual Development and Social Welfare bureau has opened a shelter for rape victims, said bureau head Suroto Purnomo on Monday.

Suroto said that the shelter was inaugurated two months ago and as of now 30 rape victims had taken shelter there.

Most of the victims were housemaids, allegedly raped by their employers. They had not reported the cases to the police because they had felt threatened.

Suroto said that the victims would receive meals, health care, psychological counseling and also lessons in sewing and flower arrangement.

"The reason why Central Jakarta mayoralty administration set up such a shelter was to save the victims from depression," he said, as quoted by Beritajakarta.com.

Suroto also said that should the victim not want to take care of their babies, they could hand them over to orphanages. He added that the victims only needed to produce a Jakarta ID card and a written recommendation from his office or the district to stay at the shelter. -- JP