Govt slaps travel ban on critics<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government has slapped travel bans on at
\nleast four government critics charged with treason pending the
\nresult of an ongoing official investigation against them.<\/p>\n
Army Lt. Gen. (ret.) Kemal Idris, former Jakarta governor Ali
\nSadikin, economist Sri Edi Swasono and his brother, politician
\nSri Bintang Pamungkas, were barred from leaving the country by
\norder of a Nov. 23 decree issued by the Attorney General's
\nOffice.<\/p>\n
Bintang confirmed that he and the other three opposition
\nfigures had been informed of the one-year travel ban.<\/p>\n
The four men, along with about a dozen others, were questioned
\nby the police last week in the wake of the Nov. 13 Black Friday
\ntragedy during which troops fired at and beat student
\ndemonstrators.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces has blamed these dissident leaders for
\ninciting the students, and accused them of plotting to topple the
\ngovernment of President B.J. Habibie.<\/p>\n
Bintang could not confirm whether any of the other critics
\nquestioned had also been barred from leaving the country.<\/p>\n
Most of those questioned were signatories of a Nov. 12
\ncommunique which called for the establishment of a provisional
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly and a presidium government.<\/p>\n
Bintang did not take part in the meeting but the government
\nsaid that he had personally addressed some of the student
\ndemonstrations, in which he incited the students.<\/p>\n
\"They should impose a travel ban on (former president)
\nSoeharto instead of us... because we are intellectuals who will
\nnot run away from our responsibilities,\" Bintang, who is also
\nchairman of the Indonesian Democratic Union Party (PUDI), said.<\/p>\n
He added that the Attorney General's move was in violation of
\na \"gentleman's agreement\" between the police and the opposition
\nfigures on Nov. 18 that no travel ban would be imposed on them.<\/p>\n
\"We have signed an agreement that we are only required to
\nreport three days before any travel plans. They have broken their
\npromise and acted arbitrarily,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Bintang, who was released from prison in May, said he had been
\nquestioned under Articles 107 and 110 of the Criminal Code on
\ntreason.<\/p>\n
If convicted, he could face a maximum penalty of life
\nimprisonment.<\/p>\n
Bintang was released, along with labor leader Muchtar
\nPakpahan, by President B.J. Habibie in May as part of the new
\ngovernment's pledge to build a more democratic country. He was
\nserving a 34-month jail term for defaming Soeharto. (byg)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-slaps-travel-ban-on-critics-1447893297",
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