Tanah Abang vendors jailed for rioting

Tanah Abang vendors jailed for rioting

JAKARTA (JP): Three sidewalk vendors each received a one-year
jail term yesterday for their role in the Tanah Abang market riot
in January.

Central Jakarta District Court found Yafrizal, 24, Ade
Komarudin, 24, and Ari Yanto, 18, guilty of violating
Article 170 of the Criminal Code which states that anyone who
jointly and deliberately uses force against another person can be
punished with up to five-and-a-half years' imprisonment.

The sentence was six months lighter than what was demanded for
by government prosecutor Baskara.

Judge Soebardi said the defendants, all residents of Tanah
Abang, deserved the punishment because they caused public unrest.
"They also disrupted public service at the Tanah Abang district
office," he said.

The office, located near the market, was gutted by a fire in
the riot as were some cars. The riot was sparked by a row between
vendors, and market officers and security guards.

"Since the defendants admitted their guilt, showed remorse and
were still young, the panel of judges decided to give them a
lighter sentence," Soebardi said.

The defendants said they would not appeal the decision.

However, after the hearing, their lawyers from the Jakarta
Legal Aid Institute said the sentence was too harsh for the
crime.

"They should not be held solely responsible for the riot,
since there were 300 other rioters," lawyer Rino Subagyo said.

The defendants said they feared that if they appealed, the
High Court might give them an even stiffer sentence.

Prior to the verdict, only one other person, a minor, was
convicted for the Tanah Abang riot. A 16-year-old boy was tried
in a closed hearing and received eight months' imprisonment.

In a separate trial yesterday, four other vendors admitted in
Central Jakarta District Court of their part in the riot.

Hadi Subarno, 39, Erri Suanto, 28, Daniel H. Tanjung, 22 and
Willem Morgan, 17, acknowledged that they threw stones, bricks
and pieces of wood at the district office and some cars.

The four were also charged with violating Article 170.

Willem was accused of another offense -- arson -- which is
punishable with up to 12 years' imprisonment.

Willem denied involvement in the arson, saying that he simply
threw lit matches at the already burning building and cars.

When asked by judge Sartono why he did that, Willem said, "So
the flames could get bigger."

The trial also heard the testimony of Sergeant Winarto of
Tanah Abang Police precinct, who said he saw all the defendants
taking part in the riot.

Winarto said he arrested Subarno and Suanto after the riot.

The two defendants however refuted this, saying that they were
arrested by another officer they identified as Asep two days
later. (12/04)