WRITTEN QUESTION E-0429/04 by John Bowis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. The case of Rev. Rinaldy Damanik, Indonesia.
Date: 2004-02-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Protestantism, Sulawesi, carrying out of sentence, human rights, judicial proceedings, legal hearing, personal weapon

C 88 E/186

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

(2004/C 88 E/0192)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0429/04

by John Bowis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 February 2004)

Subject: The case of Rev. Rinaldy Damanik, Indonesia

Is the Commission aware that the Rev. Rinaldy Damanik was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for
possessing illegal weapons, in what is alleged to be a politically motivated trial? The Palu High Court has
since upheld the verdict of the State Court and Rev. Damanik’s lawyers are now preparing an appeal to the
Supreme Court in Jakarta.

As the head of the Crisis Centre in Central Sulawesi, he was responsible for keeping the international
community informed about human rights violations against Christian and Muslim communities and
providing practical assistance to the many internally displaced persons,
including the evacuation of
Christians under attack from militants.

Will the Commission enquire into his welfare and the process that led to his arrest and trial?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(12 March 2004)

The Commission is closely following the case of Reverend Damanik, whose sentence to three years
imprisonment for illegal possession of weapons has been confirmed by the Supreme Court at the end of
2003. Since Reverend Damanik has already spent one-and-a-half years in prison, there is a possibility of an
earlier release.

The Commission Delegation in Jakarta was in contact with the association that was assisting Reverend
Damanik, PBHI. This group will not be able to do so any more (after the sentence of the highest court) but
another human rights non-governmental organisation, linked to the Indonesian Church, has taken over the
assistance to Reverend Damanik. The Delegation has contacted them and was informed that they are
assessing the feasibility of starting a new case, by bringing up new evidence/witnesses.

The Commission can assure the Honourable Member that, through its Delegation in Jakarta, it is closely
monitoring the case. Moreover, support to organisations defending minority rights in Indonesia is part of
the Community’s co-operation programme with the country,
in particular through projects supported
under the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights.

(2004/C 88 E/0193)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0465/04

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(23 February 2004)

Subject: Establishing the ‘Made in EU’ label

Various recent media reports indicate that the Commission is preparing a proposal for a ‘Made in EU’ label,
and the consequent abolition of national labels.

Their reports claim that the idea came from Italy, in response to the enormous harm suffered by the
European textile industry as a result of imitations made in developing countries, but that it has now
swelled to embrace the general problem of the labelling of all products manufactured within the Union.