A chronology: Arrest at the Rally Protesting Government Regulation on Wage, Friday, Oct 30, 2015
7pm.
That night, after the explosive sound of tear gas was heard, we, on the command-car of FBTPI (Asmir, Fresly Manulang, Myself, Gadis Merah, Sahrul Godam) stooped our head. I heard only the sound of whipping bamboo stick; I saw Asmir and Manulang were in pain. The thing that worried me the most was Jumisih or Gadis Merah because I couldn’t see her.
“Get down, all of you. Do you want to get down or not? You all dog,” yelled by some of the policemen who got on the FBTPI’s command-car while continued whipping the bamboo stick. I observed them; they wore a light brown t-shirt with a brown pan too. It was the first time I saw that kind of uniform. I saw the wound on Fresly Manulang’s forehead; blood was spilling from his forehead. I encouraged myself to look at the front of command-car. There was no Jumisih. I saw a police hanging on the command-car while kicking the left side of the car-window glass. I remembered Galita that used to sat next to the driver. I was wondering if Aini the baby was there with her mother, Galita. Finally, we decided to get off and the policemen pulled us down. Asmir got hit at his right eye. Manulang got hit at his head. I was pulled down but got spared from beaten because I am a woman. What an irony? I looked around and still couldn’t find Jumisih. I was wondering if Aria Widiastari and Atin were safe with their camera. How about many other friends? Bambu, FBLP, Godam, LPB, FSPMI, Forum PUK, SPSI, SPN and others? I held tight my bag, my cellphone was in my bag, I didn’t want them to take it.
7.30pm
.
I usually see the mass control (Dalmas) truck to transport the police troop of mass control. I was taken to the truck while listening some policemen said that they would not beat me since I am a woman. On the truck I saw Galita, Pak Pujo, Novel and some other friends that I couldn’t identify because of the darkness. Galita shook my hand and hugged me. I asked Galita about her baby, Aini. Thank god, Galita had sent her home at 5pm so when the police broke the front window of the car with bamboo stick, Aini was no longer with her mom.
A few minutes later, some policemen came with a guy wearing a red square motif of button shirt. He was Obed, the public advocate from Jakarta Legal Aid office. He got beaten many times. His cellphone was grabbed and the photos from his phone were deleted. Obed face was pale; he got on to the truck and sat in front me. I held his hand, looked at his eyes, just to calm him that everything was going to be okay. A moment later, he got hit again at his head. Even though he told the police that he was from Jakarta Legal Aid, the police continued to beat him.
Again, some police came while hitting and kicking a guy wearing a white t-shirt. He was beaten to a pulp, I saw him vomited. When the man looked up, I recognized his face. That face was no stranger to me and maybe for many of other workers. The man was Tigor, a public advocate from Jakarta Legal Aid office. He got hit many times at his stomach, got kicked. One police said, “ Hey, what photos did you take before, where are the photos?” “Delete all the photos” he said to other fellow policeman. A policeman deleted the photos of the rally. Then, the police who searched Tigor’s phone said, “ Heh, here it is, it’s in his Whatsapp, in a group he said damn to Reskrim (the police criminal unit).
Another policeman shout, “where, where? Damn it, how dare you said such thing about Reksrim. Is it you who said that? Is it you..?
“Bak…buk…bak…bak…buk…”, Tigor was hit and kicked repeatedly, again he vomited.
“It wasn’t me, Bang. I didn’t say that. It is a group chat, the other people who said that”
“Bak.. buk… bak… buk”, Tigor’s response was replied by a continuous punches.
“Bang….Stop it, don’t hit him again”, I and Galita said.
“Give him water. He vomited. Watch out if you dare to say damn to Reskrim!”
I saw Obed took out his blue water container. My eyes saw a small brown bag. He took the container out that bag.
Tigor drank then got hit again at his head by a policeman.
“Damn you…damn you”, said the policeman.
“Stop it, Bang. Stop I,” said another policeman.
After that, this pack of policemen was joking among themselves. One of them sang Darah Juang song to the last lyric. Laughing, after singing the song, he said:
“You all are the follower of Marsinah. That Marsinah….ha ha ha”.
We just sit in silence. I looked at my friends’ faces that still could be seen to my eyes. I held Tigor hand and stroked his hair.
Not long after that, another pack of policemen came. This time, they came with a young boy with a short cut of curly hair without shirt and shoes. His jeans was black. The young boy was beaten, his stomach, head and face got kicked and punched. He then fainted.
“He fainted, give him some water,” said one of the policeman while throwing the kid to the truck. I pulled his hand and put his head on my lap.
“Wake up…wake up”, Gita said.
“Wake up…Wake up” I said. Obed took his water container again. The kid finally woke up. I looked at his face and immediately I remembered his face.
“Are you Ocul?”
“Yes, I am,” he said.
“How did you get arrested? How is Jumisih?” I asked.
“She is safe”, Said Ocul. Galita Confirmed. He said Jumisih was protected by Sahrul, one of Godam members from FBTPI until both of the them severely injured. Policemen pulled down Jumisih from the command-car. Ocul, Sahrul and Lanang were struggling to take Jumisih back. Fortunately, Jumisih was safe. I was relieved.
“I was going back to the command-car to save you, Di. But I got caught. I was beaten”.
“Bruakk!”. One of the policemen jumped at the back of the truck, got in the truck and started beating and kicking all of us. My head got kicked once. Of course it was hurt. But another policeman shouted:
“It is a woman, Bang”
“Really? For women, put your hand on your head” He said while continued kicking and punching every one but the women. It was dark but I could hear the sound of punching, kicking and groaning of other friends that got arrested.
“Stop it, Bang. Stop it, Bang,” Galita and I said.
I looked at the face of the policemen, they are still young. I then remembered one of my cousins who joined the army after graduated from high school. I wonder if my cousin, a gentle young man would turn to be like them? Ruthless and cruel.
“So, for a woman, don’t join a demonstration like this. Pity your kids and family. Women should be at home. You just have courage mocking us on the command-car, our patience also have limit” said one of the policeman.
We all just silenced. “You too” he said to one of the man with green t-shirt sat next to Obed, he was a worker from Tangerang.
“Why did you join the rally? If you want to have a high salary, then work hard. Work hard. Remember that. Javanese are hard worker, just like me, working hard!”
“Cellphone, who else has a cellphone? Give it to me so I can delete all!” said another policeman.
At the same time, my phone was ringing in my bag. I hugged my bag tightly while coughing. There was a long call, also notifications of Whatsapp and short message.
“Damn it”, I said in my head, luckily the policemen didn’t hear anything.
8.30pm.
We all were taken out of the truck, lined up and being told to hold the shoulder in front of us. We were taken to area near the National Monument (Monas). I didn’t remember it well. Then we were told to squat. Men and women were separated. There were 4 women, they were Dian Septi (my self), Gallyta (FBTPI), Sari (FBTPI) and Wahyuni (SPSI). Wahyuni wasn’t part of group that was taken from the Dalmas’ truck. She was arrested and dragged by a policewoman. She told that she had been searched full body and forced to admit that she gave an oration on the command-car. But she insisted that she didn’t. The group of men got beaten again then being documented. A doctor came to check our health condition. Novel (KC FSPMI Bekasi), his forehead was hurt that need to be stitched. We also were questioned. They asked our id-card. Gallyta couldn’t show her id because she left it her bag on in the command-car and probably it’s gone.
A moment later, an armyman with huge body came with his two other men. A policeman said to him:
“Here they are sir, the provocateurs that we arrested”
I saw the armyman nodding. He wore a cap so I couldn’t see his face clearly.
After that, we all were put into a police troop vehicle to be transported to Polda.
“Mr. Gultom, please transport them to Polda. Release them there” said one of the policeman who wore a casual dress. Probably he was the supervisor of Mr. Gultom. Later on we realized that we were taken to Polda and would be released from there. Previously the policemen said that they would release us near the Monument National.
“If we release you here, we wouldn’t know where you are going to. We would be suspected that we don’t let you go” said Gultom.
9.30pm
I usually go to Polda to deliver a notification letter for a rally. I with the other 24 people was there for the police investigation report as a suspect and witness. There were 21 people that became a suspect and the other 4 as witnesses.
I was separated from the group along with 4 other people. My group was then a 5 persons group.
Saturday, October 31, 2am
I and the other friends got assistance from Jakarta Legal Aid office for the police investigation report process. At the time, I came to know that Ocul or Hasim was included in the group of 5. The rest, might be about 15 people were in another group.
We were questioned about the plan for the rally, why we decided to stay at the palace and who instructed the rally. Maruli, the public advocate that assisted me reminded me to keep the answer short. At the end of the investigation process, I refused to sign the investigation report as a suspect and as a witness. Some of the other friends did the same. The rest, I didn’t know.
We were accused violating penal code article 216 and 218 on charges of inciting and against police command to disband after being given three warnings.
Saturday, October 31, 5am
I and the other friend had finished the investigation report process, said one the policeman. We only needed to sign the arrest report and the release report and waited for the hand over of the release for the 25 people.
Saturday, October 31, 5.30pm
Tired of waiting, finally we signed the arrest and the release report.
Saturday, October 31, 6pm
After that we, 25 people, were taken to the room of general crime office. In the room, a police office with blue collar wearing a sarong was waiting. I don’t know his name. He said, because it wasn’t a working day and his feet were hurt, he didn’t wear his uniforms.
He looked relax, listening and singing a western romantic song. Then he said:
“Next time, be a little bit smarter. If you were planning to stay (at the palace), it would be violating (the time limit to rally), you must know the result to be beaten. Be a little bit smarter, (learn) how to deal (that kind of situation)”
Again, he sang the romantic song, it was on the loud speaker so we could hear the song too.
“We are still humane, still (comply to) human rights. Ya, according to you all, it still violated human rights. But in other countries, you will get beaten by electric baton, being electrified.”
“Ya, what ever it is, we just did our job. Who is among you that will be a parliament member? Before, who is his name? Budiman Sudjatmiko is also a parliament member now. Hi hi hi hi”
“Ya, thank you all. We just did our job. We are sorry for what has happened. Religion says that we are all brothers, so there is no harm to apologize and to forgive. Am I right?
The room was silence. Then we were sent home. My heart was still angry. Before leaving the room, I whispered to Pak Pujo, the FSPMI labor activist who are very militant.
“Pak, he is a psycho, isn’t he. After giving order to beat us, he is still able to listen to romantic song. Then he said sorry as if there is nothing happened.”
Dian Septi T
November 1, 2015