Govt urged to restore late Dharsono's name<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A group of senior government critics is urging
\nPresident B.J. Habibie's government to restore the good name of
\nthe late Hartono Rekso Dharsono, a soldier and diplomat whom
\nformer president Soeharto's regime jailed for subversion.<\/p>\n
Members of Petisi 50, speaking to the media yesterday during a
\ngathering at the Central Jakarta residence of its leader, Lt.
\nGen. (ret.) Ali Sadikin, were united in saying that Dharsono -- a
\nlieutenant general when he retired from the Army -- was innocent.<\/p>\n
Ali said Gen. (ret.) A.H. Nasution and Lt. Gen. (ret.) Kemal
\nIdris, both respected Army veterans, had earlier made the call on
\nthe present government to restore the good name of Dharsono. The
\nIndonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) will lead the campaign,
\nAli added.<\/p>\n
\"It was no sin of Dharsono that he was arrested, tried and
\njailed for 10 years for a crime he did not commit,\" Ali said at
\nthe gathering, which was to celebrate the release of several
\nhigh-profile political prisoners, including political activists
\nSri Bintang Pamungkas and Nuku Suleiman.<\/p>\n
Also attending were other Petisi 50 members including 76-year-
\nold former National Police chief Gen. (ret.) Hoegeng Iman
\nSantoso, former manpower minister S.K. Trimurti, 86, former mines
\nand energy minister H.M. Sanusi and former Atma Jaya University
\nlecturer Chris Siner Key Timu.<\/p>\n
Ali, 72, is a former governor of Jakarta.<\/p>\n
After taking part in the independence struggle of the 1940s,
\nDharsono's military career peaked when he became chief of the
\nBandung-based Siliwangi Regional Command in 1966-1969, during
\nwhich time he helped establish Soeharto's New Order government.<\/p>\n
He served as ambassador to Thailand (1969-1972) and Cambodia
\n(1972-1975) and was once a secretary-general of the Association
\nof Southeast Asia Nations (1976-1978).<\/p>\n
After retiring from public life, he became one of Soeharto's
\nstaunchest critics. He was sent to jail in 1985 after he was
\ndeclared guilty of attempting to undermine the government,
\ninciting and causing unrest by taking part in the drafting of a
\nWhite Paper on the Sept. 12, 1984, Tanjung Priok riot.<\/p>\n
He was freed for good behavior in 1990 after serving five
\nyears of his jail term.<\/p>\n
Dharsono died of cancer in June 1996.<\/p>\n
A former student leader, Erlangga, who was convicted along
\nwith Dharsono and jailed for six years in 1985, also testified
\nduring the gathering yesterday that Dharsono was innocent.<\/p>\n
\"In the name of Allah, I testify that Pak Ton was innocent...
\nand I urge the present reform government to rehabilitate his
\nhonor.\"<\/p>\n
Erlangga said an \"engineered trial\" followed the Soeharto
\nmilitary crackdown at the Tanjung Priok port. In the bloody
\nincident that ensued on Sept. 12, 1984, the government said 30
\npeople died, but witnesses have claimed about 400 were killed.<\/p>\n
Yesterday, Petisi 50 urged the government to reopen the
\ninvestigation into the Tanjung Priok incident. (aan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-urged-to-restore-late-dharsonos-name-1447893297",
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