Jakarta – Entering the sixth day of a hunger strike at the Cipinang prison, five leaders of the People's Democratic Party (PRD) are in a critical condition. Two of them had to be rushed to hospital.
At around 6.25pm, Ignatius Pranowo and Jakob Eko Kurniawan were rushed to the Kramatjati Police Hospital. Both of them are being treated in the emergency ward. The chairperson of the PRD, Budiman Sudjatmiko, Petrus Haryanto, and Suroso are also in a critical condition but are continuing their hunger strike.
The PRD leaders have been on a hunger strike since Tuesday, April 6, demanding honest and fair elections. Their lawyer, Johnson Panjaitan, told Media last night that his clients will continue the hunger strike until there is a response to their demands.
Pranowo and Kurniawan have been in a critical condition since Friday and are vomiting blood. According to Panjaitan, the prison doctor was late in examining his clients although they had been contacted by prison staff [as early as] Saturday. Two volunteer doctors – Setiawan and Widodo – arrived at the Cipinang Prison on Sunday afternoon.
Dr Widodo has advised them to end the hunger strike but Budiman, who blood pressure continues to fall, said that they would continue the hunger strike. Panjaitan said that Budiman is suffering a liver complaint.
Information obtained from the Police hospital said that Pranowo and Kurniawan are receiving infusions and hospital staff said that they are extremely week. A press release by the Central Leadership Committee of the PRD, which was received by Media yesterday, described the chronology of the hunger strike. Entering the fifth day of the hunger strike, Saturday, their condition was already critical. Budiman was unable to rise from his bed, Pranowo was vomiting blood and Kurniawan was suffering pains in his stomach. From 9pm Saturday until yesterday, Pranowo's and Kurniawan's health has worsened.
Panjaitan said that the prison doctor must take responsibility for his client's condition. He explained that on Saturday the prison doctor had already been contacted by prison staff, however the doctor was not prepared to go to the prison. "I deeply regret that the prison doctor was late in handing my clients [case]", he said.
Meanwhile Cipinang Prison staff, contacted by Media last night, explained that although Budiman's condition had already reached a critical stage, there was no order to take him to hospital.
Budiman, according to prison staff, was not prepared to be treated at the police hospital. He asked to be treated at the Cikini or Carolus hospital, but this was not agreed to.
[Translated by James Balowski]