Indonesian Student Leader Calls for Action from European and US Governments

Press Release:

Indonesian Student Leader Calls for Action from European and US Governments to Ensure Free and Fair Elections

Stockholm 24 June 1998 -- Pius Lustrilanang, secretary-general of the People’s Alliance for Democracy, today called on the governments of Europe and the United States to put more pressure on the current Indonesian regime to ensure that the election in May 1999 are "free, just and fair by international standards".

Speaking at the 1998 Democracy Forum, organized by International IDEA, Lustrilanang made it clear that this is a crucial moment for democracy in Indonesia. "It is essential that the preparation for and the coming elections themselves are truly representative. The US and European governments should do all that they can to see to it that this will be the case. I hope very much that their belief in human rights will prevail."

Lustrilanang described his own experience as a democratic activist. He was kidnapped on 4 February of this year, tortured and held incommunicado for two months. On his release in April he spoke out about his ordeal, even though his captors threatened to kill him if he did so.

"I feel like a lucky man that I came out alive, but people I heard of or saw while I was in detention and friends of mine who were also disappeared, have not yet come home. I needed to speak out in order to help end their ordeal," he explained. Lustrilanang, who credits his own luck to attention given his case by national and international media organizations, and to action by the US government, is presently making a world tour to drum up support for the democracy movement in his country.

Concerning the transition underway in Indonesia, Lustrilanang is sceptical that President Habibie will make genuine reforms. "He is a very close friend of Suharto, he may talk about reform, but he will need to be pushed to make genuine reforms." Asked what he considered to be the most important reforms needed, he was quick to respond. "We must abolish the laws that do not allow citizens to express their political rights, and we must pass a law that guarantees a free press. Also judicial institutions must be made independent, because under Suharto they were used to manipulate power, not to uphold justice."

Lustrilanang described how he and many others had given testimony to judicial authorities about his own abuse, "...but there has been no action taken yet." According to Amnesty International, 200 political prisoners remain in detention today. "I have called for and independent investigation to look into these disappearances. I want judicial authorities to visit the detention centre where I was kept," he said.

Concerning the situation of East Timor, Lustrilanang was clear: "The future of East Timor depends on the success of the democracy movement in Indonesia. If a real democratic government comes to power, then the people of East Timor can have the right of self-determination. Our 1945 constitution guarantees the right of self-determination and condemns imperialism and colonialism. A real democratic government would have to uphold the constitution," he explained.

When asked whether he planned to return to his country, he responded: "I love my country. I want to be there in August when, for the first time in my life, we will celebrate our independence day without Suharto. I also want to follow my own case and see to it that impunity will not prevail. The real struggle is going on in Indonesia today. I want to be there to deal with these problems."

The International IDEA Democracy Forum ended today. Politicians, political activists and democratic experts from over 30 countries have been sharing experiences and debating issues around the them of the culture of democracy. Among others, the Democracy Forum heard from Ms Charity Kaluki Ngilu, a member of the Kenyan parliament and the first woman candidate to run for president of her country; Mr Boudjema Ghechir, the President of the Algerian League of Human Rights; Dr M.S. Gill the Chief Electoral Commissioner of India; Mr Mariano Fernandez, the Chilean Deputy Minster of Foreign Affairs; Ms Grace Almeida Adamon, the former Benin Minister of Justice; Ms Maureen O’Neil the President of the Canadian International Development Research Centre and Ambassador Ahmedou Ould Abdallah, the Executive Secretary of the Global Coalition for Africa.

International IDEA (International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance) was founded in February 1995. The Institute’s overall objective is to promote and advance sustainable democracy world-wide and to improve and consolidate electoral processes. To date, Members are Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, India, Namibia, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, the International Federation of Journalists, the International Press Institute, Parliamentarians for Global Action and Transparency International. The Institute also has co-operative agreements with the International Commission of Jurists, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the United Nations Development Programme. Switzerland also contributes to the work of the Institute.