Government releases PKI prisoners<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Justice Muladi announced on
\nWednesday the release of 10 aging former members of the outlawed
\nIndonesian Communist Party (PKI), jailed for their involvement in
\nthe communist-backed abortive coup attempt in 1965.<\/p>\n
According to Muladi, the release was \"intended to speed up the
\nprocess of national reconciliation, which requires legal efforts,
\nby giving amnesty to prisoners who are serving sentences\".<\/p>\n
The minister said the release was effected by President B.J.
\nHabibie in decree No. 15 dated March 17, on the condition they
\nswear an oath to Pancasila as the state ideology, to the 1945
\nConstitution and decrees of the People's Consultative Assembly
\n(MPR).<\/p>\n
With their release, Habibie has freed 212 of 240 political
\nprisoners since he replaced Soeharto in May last year.<\/p>\n
Eight leaders of the newly rehabilitated People's Democratic
\nParty (PRD) remain in jail, including its chairman Budiman
\nSudjatmiko and secretary-general Petrus Haryanto.<\/p>\n
Muladi said on Tuesday it was almost impossible to release the
\nyounger prisoners, as they demanded a general amnesty without any
\npreconditions.<\/p>\n
\"They can continue sleeping in the prison,\" Muladi said on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
The PKI prisoners would be released \"because they have shown
\ngood conduct, and due to humanitarian considerations including
\ntheir advanced age and deteriorating health conditions,\" Muladi
\nsaid, after meeting with the President at Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
Four of the elderly inmates were sentenced to death for
\nsubversive activities and an attempt to topple the government.
\nThe President's decree identifies them as Asep Suryaman, 73,
\nformer Chief Sgt. Boengkoes, 72, former Sgt. Maj. Natanael
\nMarsudi, 71, and Isnanto, 76.<\/p>\n
The other six prisoners are former Col. Abdul Latief, 73, Sri
\nSuhardjo, 70, Suryabrata, 71, Buyung Ketek, 52, Markus Giroth,
\n61, and Sido, 52.<\/p>\n
Abdul Latief is the most senior among the 10 inmates. He told
\nThe Jakarta Post in October that on the night of Sept. 30, 1965,
\nSoeharto, then chief of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command
\n(Kostrad), was fully aware of the coup plan and the killings of
\nsix senior generals.<\/p>\n
Latief, currently in Cipinang prison, East Jakarta, claimed
\nSoeharto had victimized him to cover-up his role in the coup
\nplot. He said his family was close to the Soeharto family until
\nthe tragedy erupted.<\/p>\n
Details of the coup remain a mystery. Following the fall of
\nSoeharto last year, questions concerning Soeharto's role in the
\ncoup have been raised. (prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-releases-pki-prisoners-1447893297",
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