Court Rejects Compensation for Priok Tragedy Victims
Wednesday, 28 February, 2007 | 16:27 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The Central Jakarta District Court rejected the request for the realization of compensation for Tanjung Priok victims.

The request by 13 victims and the victims’ families was regarded as baseless.

“The decision about giving compensation was annulled by the Supreme Court’s cassation verdict on February 28, 2006,” said judge Martini when reading out the verdict, on Wednesday (28/2).

The Ad Hoc Human Rights Court at the Central Jakarta District Court decided in 2004 that the 13 victims and victims’ families of Tanjung Priok tragedy had the right for material and immaterial compensation amounting to Rp1.15 billion.

However, the appeal and cassation verdicts annulled the awarding of this compensation.

The victims’ legal advisor, Haris Azhar, said that the verdict did not take into account the factor of humanity or the losses suffered by the victims.

“The judge only paid attention to the court’s status and verdict. That consideration was very shallow,” said Azhar.

However, said Azhar, this verdict cannot be a binding element in terms of providing compensation. “

What should have been the basis was the economic and social losses suffered by the victims,” he stressed.

In response to the verdict, Azhar explained that his clients would file a cassation lawsuit to the Supreme Court.

“We will put forward new facts which have never been examined,” he said.

In the meantime, the disappointed victims yelled their dissatisfaction with the judge’s decision.

“No conscience,” said Raharja, a victim.

According to him, this decision showed that the government does not have a sense of justice.

Kartika Candra