Students testify at senior's trial

Students testify at senior's trial

JAKARTA (JP): Two Taruma Negara University students told the
West Jakarta District Court Monday they could not recall a fellow
student being beaten or kicked during a rigorous training program
to join the university's Student Regiment in 1995.

The students, Deni Setiawan and Susanto Kardiman, were
testifying in the trial of three senior students charged with
torturing The Manto. Manto died shortly after the alleged
beating.

Deni and Susanto were freshmen at the university as was Manto.

But separately Deni and Susanto said the defendant had stepped
on their stomachs during the program.

"It didn't hurt," Deni said.

An autopsy by the University of Indonesia's school of medicine
revealed Manto's spleen was broken and his stomach filled with
two liters of blood.

Their testimony contradicted the signed statements they gave
to police. In their statements they said beating and kicking were
common during the training.

The witnesses asked the judge to ignore their written
statements because they were tired when they gave the statements.

One defendant, when asked to comment on the testimony, said he
had stepped on students' stomachs but had done so slowly. He said
the exercise was intended to strengthen their stomach muscles.

The trial was adjourned until next Monday. (13)