13 arrested in Medan demonstration<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Police in Jakarta have confirmed the arrest of
\n13 demonstrators in the North Sumatra capital city of Medan last
\nweek for their involvement in anti-government rallies.<\/p>\n
However, National Police Chief Spokesman Brig. Gen. I Ketut
\nRatta could not confirm whether the 13 arrested were also linked
\nto the series of anti-Indonesia demonstrations in Germany during
\nPresident Soeharto's visit last month.<\/p>\n
\"We have not received any reports suggesting that they were
\ninvolved in the Dresden protest. Their case is now being handled
\nby the North Sumatra Police,\" Ratta was quoted by Antara as
\nsaying. Dresden was the site of one of the fiercest anti-Soeharto
\ndemonstrations that took place around Germany in April.<\/p>\n
The news agency said 13 members of a local non-governmental
\norganization in Medan staged a demonstration on Thursday to
\nprotest President Soeharto's remarks that portrayed the
\nperpetrators of the German demonstration as irrational.<\/p>\n
The leader of the demonstration was identified as 31-year old
\nJBR, whom the police said provided assistance to the students who
\nrecently staged a demonstration before the North Sumatra
\nLegislative Council.<\/p>\n
\"The demonstration in Medan turned into a procession of
\nslandering the head of state and that's the reason why the police
\nhave arrested them,\" Ratta said.<\/p>\n
He stressed that they were being investigated in connection
\nwith the Medan protest and not with the protest rallies in
\nDresden, as suggested by an earlier press report.<\/p>\n
The latest arrests took place amidst an on-going police
\ninvestigation of the alleged involvement of a number of
\nIndonesians in the German protests.<\/p>\n
Police have already questioned legislator Sri Bintang
\nPamungkas, named by the military as one of five Indonesians
\nbelieved to have taken part or supported the demonstrations in
\nGermany.<\/p>\n
Bintang, of the United Development Party (PPP) faction, has
\ndenied the accusation. He acknowledged that he saw a
\ndemonstration in Hannover at the time Soeharto was there, but his
\npresence there was out of curiosity and he did not take part in
\nthe demonstration.<\/p>\n
Bintang was in Germany for a series of speaking engagements at
\naround the same time as the President.<\/p>\n
Two other Indonesians who, the military alleges, took part are
\nsenior journalist Goenawan Mohamad and Yenni Rosa Damayanti, a
\nstaunch student activist. Both have denied the accusations.<\/p>\n
Police plan to send its officers to Germany to follow up on
\nthe investigation.<\/p>\n
Gen. Banurusman Astrosemitro, the chief of the National
\nPolice, has ordered that the investigation be continued, Ratta
\nsaid. \"This is the chief's order. Whoever was involved or
\norganized the demonstration against our head of state in Germany
\nwill be prosecuted, no matter who they are.\" (emb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/13-arrested-in-medan-demonstration-1447893297",
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