JAKARTA - Director of Lokataru Haris Azhar has spoken about naming him and KontraS Coordinator, Fatiya Maulidiyanti, as suspects for alleged defamation of the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. He considered his current legal status an honor.
"I consider this an honor. If I consider this country, today it can only grant prisoner status or one day it will imprison me, I consider it an honor for me," Haris said in a press conference broadcast online, Saturday, 19 March.
Haris said that even though he and Fatiya were later imprisoned for being found guilty, this would not suppress some of the facts presented in the video titled 'There is a Lord Luhut Behind Intan Jaya's OPS-Military Economic Relations!! General BIN is also there!'.
Also in the video, Haris and Fatia discuss the results of research from a number of organizations such as KontraS, Walhi, Jatam, YLBHI, Pusaka about the business of TNI AD officials or retirees behind the gold mining business as well as plans to exploit the Wabu Block area in Intan Jaya, Papua.
"I want to say this, my body, my physique, and I also believe that Fatia's brother, we can be imprisoned. However, the truth we are talking about in the YouTube video cannot be jailed," he said.
"The suffering of Papuans cannot be suppressed and placed in prison. The suffering of Papuans, especially those in Intan Jaya, will continue to seek help," added Haris.
According to Haris, the video was solely intended to reveal the facts. For example, there is a conflict of interest in which a number of people behind the gold mining business in Intan Jaya are actually sitting as public officials.
"Secondly, what I discussed was the issue of Papua, where the practice of a conflict of power occurs is very far from the situation of the people in Intan Jaya," he said.
According to Haris, actually the problems in Papua should be the government's attention. Moreover, it was more important than imprisoning him.
"Instead of the state being busy convicting us, it is better to take care of Papua. And today, because they are very agile and busy convicting Fatia and I, what happened? The bad situation in Papua, in Intan Jaya continues," he said.
As previously reported, the police named Haris Azhar and Fatia as suspects for defamation of Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. The Head of Public Relations of the Polda Metro Jaya Kombes Endra Zulpan confirmed that the two suspects were named.
"Both of them (Haris Azhar and Fatia, ed) have become suspects," said Endra when confirmed by reporters, Saturday, March 19.
Furthermore, investigators from the Ditreskrimsus Polda Metro Jaya will schedule an examination of Haris and Fatia. Both, said Endra, will be questioned on Monday, March 21.
"Essentially, my statement confirms first. Both have become suspects. Monday is scheduled for examination," he said.
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