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)