House backs amnesty for all political prisoners<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives (DPR) is seeking
\nnational amnesty for all political prisoners across the country,
\nHouse deputy speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
"The House opposes the government policy of restricting
\namnesty and remission to only one group of political prisoners.
\nIt is really unfair because a lot more political prisoners are
\nstill serving their sentences in many prisons, including one on
\nNusakambangan Island," he said in a meeting with about 60
\nrecently released political prisoners.<\/p>\n
Nusakambangan penitentiary has become a home to heavyweight
\ncriminals.<\/p>\n
He said the House had declined the latest list of 90 political
\nprisoners whom the government proposed as amnesty recipients
\nbecause of the discriminative policy.<\/p>\n
"We welcome the government's intention to release the
\npolitical prisoners, but we also want the release of those who
\nwere jailed either for their alleged involvement in the Sept. 30,
\n1965 abortive coup or their links to the banned PKI," he said.<\/p>\n
PKI refers to the Indonesian Communist Party, which was blamed
\nfor masterminding the 1965 coup.<\/p>\n
The list of prospective amnesty recipients consists of 70 East
\nTimorese political prisoners, 15 people involved in various
\nsubversion cases in Aceh and Lampung and five members of the
\nPeople's Democratic Party (PRD), including its chairman Budiman
\nSudjatmiko. The PRD executives were sent to jail following the
\ngovernment-backed forcible takeover of the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty (PDI) from Megawati Soekarnoputri's supporters on July 27,
\n1996.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of political prisoners were released during the 15
\nmonths of former president B.J. Habibie's administration.<\/p>\n
The newly amended 1945 Constitution requires the president to
\nconsult the House before giving amnesty and abolition to
\npolitical prisoners.<\/p>\n
Joppie Lasut, a spokesman for the ex-political prisoners, told
\nthe House thousands of political prisoners were jailed during
\nformer president Soeharto's 32-year authoritarian rule and are
\nstill serving their terms.<\/p>\n
He also said many self-exiled Soeharto critics refused to
\nreturn home for fear of the military.<\/p>\n
"We want the House to establish a work team to seek their
\nrelease and to repatriate those who are still living overseas
\nbecause most of them are above 50 years of age," he said.<\/p>\n
Joppie, a former reporter of the Voice of America (VOA) radio,
\nwas sentenced to jail in Manado, North Sulawesi, by the former
\nNew Order regime for his involvement in the student demonstration
\nin 1974, popularly known as Malari. He was released in August.<\/p>\n
The group of former political prisoners lodged a petition
\nwhich urges the release of all political prisoners regardless of
\ntheir case. They also demanded the phasing-out of lists of wanted
\npeople implicated with past underground activities.<\/p>\n
The petition says under the national reconciliation movement,
\nall political prisoners must be freed and their civilian rights
\nmust also be reinstated.<\/p>\n
The ex-political prisoners also urged the government to
\ninvestigate Soeharto and his family for their alleged corruption
\nand demanded they return the wealth they amassed during his 32-
\nyear tenure.<\/p>\n
"All the wealth should be given to all former political
\nprisoners in compensation for material losses they suffered
\nduring their prison terms," said Isharyanto, who was just
\nreleased after serving 32 years in prison for his alleged
\ninvolvement in the 1965 abortive coup. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-backs-amnesty-for-all-political-prisoners-1447893297",
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