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)