Budiman's father set to give thanks if son released<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The father of jailed Democratic People's Party
\n(PRD) leader Budiman Sudjatmiko said on Saturday he would
\norganize charitable activities to express gratitude to God if his
\nson was released.<\/p>\n
Wartono Karyo Utomo said he and his wife Sri Sularsi had saved
\nenough money to finance a mass circumcision and the slaughtering
\nof goats for distribution of the meat to the poor, which was his
\nson's wish.<\/p>\n
\"Alhamdulillah (Thank God), we can't wait for him to be
\nreleased,\" Wartono told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Minister of Justice Muladi disclosed on Thursday the
\ngovernment planned to release Budiman, other PRD leaders and 10
\nformer communist rebels.<\/p>\n
\"Budiman did not say anything about the possible release when
\n(I visited him) on Wednesday. But I do hope it will become a
\nreality,\" Wartono said.<\/p>\n
PRD activists received sentences from 18 months to 13 years.
\nBudiman, jailed in Cipinang Prison in East Jakarta, received the
\nstiffest verdict. PRD secretary-general Petrus Hari Haryanto was
\nsentenced to six years. Under Soeharto's regime, PRD was declared
\nan illegal organization.<\/p>\n
President B.J. Habibie's administration has reversed the ban,
\nand PRD has been selected as one of the 48 political parties to
\ncontest the June 7 general election.<\/p>\n
During her visit here on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State
\nMadeleine Albright urged Habibie to release the country's
\npolitical prisoners, as did a rights activist from Germany
\nearlier on the week.<\/p>\n
From taking office in May through to last December, Habibie
\nhad released 109, including four PRD leaders, of the country's
\n232 political prisoners and detainees.<\/p>\n
Former communist rebels were in jail for more than 30 years
\nfor involvement in the abortive 1965 coup, blamed on the
\nIndonesian Communist Party (PKI).<\/p>\n
\"The release of the former communist prisoners is based on
\nhumanitarian reasons because most of them are old and sick,\"
\nMuladi said on Friday.<\/p>\n
Wartono said his son's release would enable PRD to consolidate
\nto face the general election.<\/p>\n
\"In politics, Budiman is my boss,\" said Wartono, who was
\nrecently elected PRD chapter chairman in Bogor, West Java, where
\nhe lives.<\/p>\n
Wartono insisted he was not elected because he was Budiman's
\nfather.<\/p>\n
\"As an anti-KKN (the Indonesian acronym for corruption,
\ncollusion and nepotism) fighter, of course my son will not
\ntolerate such practices,\" said Wartono, who visits his son at
\nleast once a week.<\/p>\n
He conceded that Budiman's colleagues had worked hard to get
\nhim elected, arguing the party needed a senior activist.<\/p>\n
\"Budiman was surprised and then burst into laughter when I
\nreported to him about my election,\" Wartono recalled.<\/p>\n
He hopes his new post will be officiated as soon as his son,
\n29, is released. He is ready to follow orders from the son he
\ncalled \"my new idol\".<\/p>\n
\"My son is quite stubborn, so I have to give in to him.\"<\/p>\n
Budiman and his family have suffered from alleged
\nantigovernment activities. Budiman was initially branded the son
\nof a communist family, and Wartono had to retire as an employee
\nof the PT Goodyear in May 1997 because the company could not
\nstand government pressure.<\/p>\n
\"I was caught red-handed by security apparatus when
\ndistributing PRD pamphlets on Bogor streets, calling people to
\nboycott the 1997 elections (under Soeharto),\" he recalled. (prb)<\/p>",
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