Rights commission asked to investigate Jombang case
Rights commission asked to investigate Jombang case
JAKARTA (JP): A group of 10 student activists and workers
yesterday came to the National Commission on Human Rights and
urged the body to investigate the alleged military violence
against striking workers in Jombang, East Java, recently.
The group, called the Committee of Solidarity for Workers at
the Maska Perkasa shoe company, referring to the company against
which the strike was staged in October. Yesterday, they were
received by Commission member Sugiri.
The activists said that local troops, trying to disperse the
strikers, beat and harassed workers who were demanding that the
company meet the official minimum wage.
"We're asking the Commission to send a fact finding team
before some labor activists go on trial next month for staging
the strike," said the group's spokesman, Syamsunar.
Following the strike, the local branch of the Indonesian Legal
Aid Foundation reported to the press that one worker was
seriously injured and 20 others were hospitalized in the strike.
Both the regional military command and the government have
denied the reports of military violence against the striking
workers.
Minister of Manpower said last month that the accusation was
totally unfounded. "We've checked the case with officials in
Jombang. No workers were wounded or hospitalized following the
strike as reported by the press," Latief said. Nobody fainted or
was injured, he added.
Syamsunar yesterday also reported the torturing of some
workers and the molesting of women protesters during police
questioning.
The group also urged the Commission to help provide protection
for witnesses from intimidations by the local authorities.
Syamsunar charged that the workers were threatened not to make
any contact with student activists. Otherwise, they would be
accused of involvement with the outlawed Indonesian Communist
Party (PKI), he said.
Syamsunar said that some of the witnesses and activists were
also forced into signing a police dossier claiming that there was
no violence during the strike.
Khusnul Khotimah, a 22-old worker, told Sugiri that she and
some other female workers were sexually harassed by security
officers.
"They kicked me and pushed me until I fainted. When I came to,
I found them groping me," she said.
Sugiri said the Commission has called on Armed Forces
Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung to take action against the troops
involved in the violence.
Expressing regrets over the case, Sugiri, however, said that
the Commission will not be able to send a team to investigate the
case before the strikers go on trial. (01)