Students deny insulting head of state

Students deny insulting head of state

JAKARTA (JP): Five of the six students on trial here for
defaming President Soeharto in an anti-government demonstration
told the Central Jakarta District Court Saturday that they had no
intention of insulting the head of state.

The defendants told the court that they came to the House of
Representatives (DPR) on Dec. 14, the day of the protest, after
being told of the event by their colleagues and promotional
leaflets. They contended that, at the time, they thought the
students would conduct a dialog with the DPR members on the so-
called security approach, now practiced by the authorities.

The defendants said that the dialog never took place because
student representatives failed to meet DPR Speaker Wahono, which
started the demonstration involving more than 100 people in the
DPR compound.

The defendants told the court that they agreed with the
protest but denied the accusation that they had insulted the
President through displaying strong-worded posters and banners
during the demonstration.

They also complained about the beatings they endured at the
hands of military officers who arrested them at the site.

"We were there because we wanted to the DPR to urge the
government to review its policy on the security approach," said
Anthony Leroy John Ratag, one of the defendants.

The other defendant, M. Rifki, told the court that he came to
Jakarta from Jombang, East Java, to express his dissatisfaction
on land problems involving businessmen and local farmers in
several parts of the country.

"I am very sad because of this situation. I just wanted to
express my feelings at the DPR. My parents are farmers," said the
defendant, fighting back tears.

The students are among the 21 being tried at the same court on
charges of defaming the President at the rally. They were
arrested in the demonstration where they demanded the People's
Consultative Assembly hold an emergency session to bring Soeharto
to account for a number of clashes between the military and the
civilians.

According to the indictment, the criticisms incorporated in
the posters and slogans used by the demonstrators amount to
defamation of the President, a criminal act punishable up to six
years in prison.

Three proceedings

Students are being tried in three proceedings. The two other
trials have four and 11 defendants respectively.

Mandri Sri Martiana, the only female defendant in the group of
six, told the court that she came to Jakarta from Malang, East
Java, to cover the protest because she is one of the reporters in
charge of her university periodical.

"I came to cover the event and I was arrested," she said.

Mandri said that all she did during the demonstration was
observe other students, but then found herself caught up with the
crowd as they fled. The stampede was apparently started as the
military started rounding up the students.

"One of the officers pulled my hair," she said.

The session was adjourned until Thursday when the prosecutor
will read his sentence demand.

The two other trials will start today when legislators Sri
Bintang Pamungkas and Sabam Sirait, and Ali Sadikin, a staunch
government critic, will give their testimonies in favor of the
defendants. (par)