Trial of SBSI union leader starts

JAKARTA (JP): The leader of the Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI), Muchtar Pakpahan, went on trial yesterday in Medan, North Sumatra, on charges of inciting workers to resort to violence, leading to the massive riot in that city last April.

The 41-year-old Pakpahan appeared at the Medan District Court amid tight security. Police and military officers were deployed around the provincial capital to prevent possible demonstrations by his supporters.

Roads leading to the court building were blocked.

Muchtar, who was represented by 19 lawyers from the Medan and Semarang, Central Java, chapters of the Indonesian Bar Association (Ikadin) and the city chapter of the Legal Aid Institute (LBH), was charged with stirring up the workers's emotions through speeches and written materials.

He faces the possibility of six years in prison if convicted.

The military has blamed SBSI, an outlaw union, for causing the massive workers' riots in April, which left one businessman dead and dozens of factories damaged.

SBSI executives, while admitting that they had called for the massive strikes, said they had nothing to do with the rioting.

Prosecutor G. Marbun told a packed court session presided over by Judge V.D Napitupulu that the defendant had formed the city chapter of the union, funded its activities and encouraged workers to hold strikes.

"The defendant manipulated the workers by telling them that SBSI was a legal organization," Marbun said. "There is evidence that Pakpahan gave courses and bribed workers. The accused also produced writings which incited people to make criminal actions."

Muchtar appeared pale and depressed during the court hearing yesterday.

The SBSI leader has denied any involvement in the riots, pointing out that he was in Semarang at the time.

Overwhelmed

One of the defendant's lawyers, chairman of the LBH chapter in Medan, Alamsyah Hamdani told The Jakarta Post that the lawyers were once overwhelmed by the tight security enforced in the court building.

"We were even barred from meeting with Muchtar in the court building, although we had documents, which he had to sign prior to the trial session," he said.

Alamsyah said that the lawyers were finally allowed to visit Muchtar, who was held in a prosecutor's room, after Mahyud Daniel, chairman of Ikadin's local chapter, banged on the door to express his annoyance.

He said that there were no incidents during the trial, but it was reported that the security officers arrested one man for trying to distribute pamphlets.

Alamsyah said that the lawyers complained about the court's decision not to hear the suit they filed against the Medan police for wrongful arrest of Muchtar in Jakarta.

The trial session was adjourned until Thursday.

SBSI has been challenging the government's policy of recognizing the All Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI) as the only organization allowed to represent workers in negotiations with management. (par) Photo -- Page 2