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Luhut takes stand in defamation cast against activists
The senior minister took the stand on Thursday as the plaintiff in a defamation case he brought against two activists, who had posted a YouTube video alleging his connection to a mining company and increased military presence in Papua.
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Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan speaks on Nov. 18, 2021 at the Army Staff and Command School in Bandung, West Java. (Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment/Public relations team)
Luhut Pandjaitan, a powerful senior minister in the Cabinet, took the witness stand at the East Jakarta District Court on Thursday as the plaintiff in a defamation case against two activists, defending his name from allegations of involvement with a mining business in restive Papua province.
Haris Azhar from the Lokataru Foundation and Fatia Maulidiyanti from the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) are being tried for defaming the coordinating maritime affairs and investment minister in a YouTube video, in which they alleged his connection to an extractive mining company that contributed to increased military activity in Intan Jaya.
Luhut, a former Army general, said he was offended at being called “lord” and “villain” in the comments. He also insisted that he did not own any business in resource-rich Papua, and that he did not play any role that led to the growing military presence in the province, one of the country's poorest regions.
He said it was impossible in his official capacity of overseeing maritime affairs and investment to intervene in any military operation.
“I have never owned a business in Papua,” Luhut said.
“I was also called ‘lord’ and ‘villain’. For me, those words are very hurtful, particularly when I thought about my children and grandchildren [coming across the video], because digital footprints will never be lost.”
He went on to say that he had never been directly involved with any companies since he joined the Cabinet, as he preferred to focus on his duties as a coordinating minister.
