Gus Dur slams attack on witness

Fri, 09/26/2008 10:56 AM | National

JAKARTA: Former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid on Thursday questioned the government's commitment to protecting the public and enforcing the law, citing a recent attack on a court witness.

One of the mandates of law enforcement is the protection of witnesses during court sessions, he added.

"Violent and arbitrary acts by any group for any reason must not disparage the dignity of the law," Gus Dur said in a press statement.

The statement was issued in response to reports that pro-tolerance activist Guntur Romli was intimidated and attacked by radicals of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) while testifying at the Central Jakarta District Court.

"Guntur was beaten in front of judges during his testimony, so we should question the dignity of the court and law enforcers in dealing with such an uncivilized act," Gus Dur said.

Guntur was testifying against FPI leader Rizieq Shihab, a suspect in a brutal attack on a pro-tolerance rally in Jakarta in June. --JP

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