Govt examines memoirs for misinterpretations<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Attorney General's Office yesterday said
\nthat it is currently examining the autobiography of a man who
\nserved as a cabinet minister under former Indonesian president
\nSukarno, amid allegations that the book contains dangerous
\nmisinterpretations of the events surrounding the 1965 attempted
\ncommunist coup and its aftermath.<\/p>\n
The announcement was made by Kadarman, the director for
\npolitical affairs of the attorney general's office, while he was
\nmeeting with a group of former student activists who said they
\nhad been dishonored by the book Memoar Oei Tjoe Tat, Pembantu
\nPresident Soekarno (Memoirs of Oei Tjoe Tat, Assistant of
\nPresident Sukarno).<\/p>\n
\"Investigators of the Attorney General's Office are studying
\nOei Tjoe Tat's memoirs,\" Kadarman said, as quoted spokesman
\nBasrief Arief, in response to the demands of the former student
\nactivists.<\/p>\n
Oei was one of the cabinet members who were rounded up by the
\nmilitary when Sukarno's government was dissolved in 1966 at the
\npeak of the political turmoil which had its origins in the
\ncommunist-backed attempted coup of September 1965. Oei was tried
\nand convicted of playing a role the coup. He was released from
\nprison in 1977.<\/p>\n
The book, which was launched in April and is available only
\nthrough friends, rather than from major book shops, was co-edited
\nby writer Pramoedya Ananta Toer, who himself served many years'
\nhard labor for allegedly spreading Marxist ideas.<\/p>\n
Five members of Fosko 66, a forum grouping former student
\nleaders who mobilized their colleagues in street demonstrations
\nin 1966 that led to the downfall of Sukarno, presented a petition
\nyesterday to the attorney general's office, calling on him to
\nlook into the book.<\/p>\n
The delegation was led by the group's chairman Sumarno
\nDipodisastro. He was accompanied by a member of the group's board
\nof patrons, Fahmi Idris; its secretary-general, Isnanu Chalid;
\ndeputy secretary-general Syahlan Pasaribu; and two general
\naffairs staff, Zulfi Gunawan and Dahwir Bakar.<\/p>\n
\"The book contains provocative messages and irrelevant
\ninformation which are dangerous to the young generation,\" Sumarno
\ntold reporters after the meeting.<\/p>\n
He cited a passage mentioning that the students were used by
\nthe military to mobilize support for the removal of Sukarno from
\npower.<\/p>\n
\"How could we have been used by the armed forces, when our
\nfriend Arief Rahman Hakim and some others died in the action
\n(demonstration)?\" he asked.<\/p>\n
\"The Attorney General's Office should consider banning the
\nbook,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The head of intelligence operations at the attorney general's
\noffice, Gatot Hendrarto, who also attended yesterday's meeting,
\nsaid he would immediately deliver the petition to the attorney
\ngeneral.<\/p>\n
Other officials meeting the delegation included head of the
\ngeneral affairs division, Tarmizi Yunus, and a staff-member of
\nthe attorney general's office, M.J. Anas.<\/p>\n
The memoirs, which were written by Oei Tjoe Tat 10 years ago,
\nwere originally intended for his family and close friends. \"It
\nwas meant as an explanation of my past political experiences to
\nmy children and grandchildren,\" Oei said during the book-
\nlaunching last April.<\/p>\n
On the urging of friends, however, the book was reprinted and
\nmade available to a wider audience.<\/p>\n
The autobiography has reportedly been widely distributed, both
\nin Indonesia and abroad. The publisher, Hasta Mitra, has already
\nreprinted the book three times to keep up with domestic demand.<\/p>\n
Sumarno said Fosko 66 invited Oei to discuss some of the
\nrecollections contained in the book last Saturday.<\/p>\n
The author had, he said, stuck firmly to his stand and refused
\nto change the contents of the book.(imn\/anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-examines-memoirs-for-misinterpretations-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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