`Tempo' journalists testify to violence
`Tempo' journalists testify to violence
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Tempo magazine journalists Ahmad Taufik and Karaniya
Dharmasaputra testified on Tuesday that defendant David Tjioe,
alias A. Miauw, an aide to tycoon Tomy Winata, had physically
attacked the weekly's chief editor, Bambang Harymurti, at the
Central Jakarta Police station.
Taufik, who failed to turn up at last week's trial due to
concerns regarding security, said that David and hundreds of
Tomy's supporters had also intimidated Tempo journalists soon
after they arrived at the weekly's office on Jl. Proklamasi,
Central Jakarta.
"When they first arrived, I heard them shout, `Burn the office
of a provocative media', something they threatened over and over
again if we refused to be taken to the police station for an
`investigation'," he told the Central Jakarta District Court.
Tuesday's trial heard the testimonies of Taufik and fellow
journalist Karaniya against David. The defendant was charged with
violating Article 335 of the Criminal Code on encouraging others
to perpetrate acts of violence, which carries a maximum jail
sentence of one year.
David, along with hundreds of Tomy's supporters, stormed the
weekly's office in early March to demand the retraction of an
article implicating their boss with the fire that ravaged the
Tanah Abang textile market in Central Jakarta earlier.
Taufik said that the initiative to take those persons
responsible for the article to the police station came from
David, and not from the policemen present at the weekly's office.
Taufik further added that the assault and acts of intimidation
were conducted also by David and a number of Tomy's men inside
the Central Jakarta police station.
"Inside the police compound, David physically attacked Bambang
three times, hitting him in his stomach and kicking his left
leg," he said, and that David ended by caressing Bambang's head
while threatening him verbally.
Meanwhile, Karaniya said in his testimony that David
threatened to kill him after he objected to the way David treated
Bambang.
He said that one of Tomy's men beat him from behind after he
objected to the assault on his chief editor.
Both Taufik and Karaniya regretted that the police had
apparently turned a blind eye to the assault and even appeared to
side with Tomy's minions.
"After we had gone through a series of assault and acts of
intimidation during the `interrogation', it was the police who
forced us to sign a written agreement with David. Also, when a
rumor about us being kidnapped by Tomy's men started to spread,
it was the police who forced us to meet with reporters to deny
the rumors," he said.
Taufik claimed the police also ordered him to calm down Tomy's
supporters by meeting the angry crowd in front of the weekly's
office.
Separately, a trial scheduled on Tuesday for Hidayat Lukman,
alias Teddy Uban, who is being charged with violating the same
article, was delayed because the defendant claimed to be ill.
Presiding Judge Sunaryo announced that the hearing would
resume next Tuesday.