Dita Sari is free!
By Sam King
JAKARTA — After spending almost three years in jail for her "crime" of organising Indonesian workers to struggle for their rights, Dita Sari was released from the Tangerang women's prison, on the outskirts of Jakarta, on July 6.
Dita was arrested while leading a rally of 20,000 factory workers in Surabaya on July 8, 1996. Her arrest was part of Suharto's crackdown on People's Democratic Party (PRD) activists.
Following her release, Dita spent the first few hours with her family in Jakarta before travelling to the PRD central office in Cipinang, West Jakarta, which is very close to Cipinang Prison where seven PRD activists remain in prison.
Dita wore a headband with the letters "FNPBI" on it, the acronym for the new Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggles. The FNPBI elected Dita as its chairperson during its founding congress on May 14-16.
At the PRD office, Dita answered questions from PRD members and sympathisers about her plans, her reaction to being released and what she believes it indicates about the Indonesian political situation. She then held a press conference. Dozens of journalists turned up.
During the three hours at the PRD office, Dita was overwhelmed with eager journalists, old friends and new activists.
She then visited Dhyta Caturani and other PRD activists at the St Carolus Hospital who were wounded during a police attack on a PRD demonstration outside the electoral commission office on July 1.
Dita's release was reported on all major national and Jakarta television stations. On SCTV evening news, Dita explained that her release was not due to goodwill on the part of the regime, but rather was the result of pressure from the democracy movement within Indonesia and the solidarity movement abroad.
Dita told Green Left Weekly that she believes the Habibie's regime's tactic is to gradually release imprisoned activists one by one in order to ease political tension when the regime is under most pressure. She said her release was the result of the massive public and media outrage at the police shooting PRD protesters during the July 1 rally.
Dita said she would again be active in the organisation of Indonesian workers by helping to develop the FNPBI. She urged the Australian and international solidarity movements to step up their campaigns.
She thanked Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor especially for its consistent campaigning for the rights of the Indonesian people.