Police interrogate Sri Bintang<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The police began questioning legislator Sri
\nBintang Pamungkas yesterday over his alleged role in the anti-
\ngovernment demonstrations that took place during President
\nSoeharto's recent German tour.<\/p>\n
The legislator from the Moslem-oriented United Development
\nParty (PPP) was interrogated as a witness at national police
\nheadquarters.<\/p>\n
He was questioned by an officer of the police investigation
\ndepartment in the presence of Director of the National Police
\nInvestigation Department Brig. Gen. Rusdihardjo and Head of the
\nGeneral Investigation Unit Col. Suparman.<\/p>\n
Bintang was accompanied by two lawyers from the Jakarta Legal
\nAid Institute, Luhut M.P. Pangaribuan and R. Dwiyanto Prihartono,
\nduring the four-hour interrogation.<\/p>\n
He told journalists after the interrogation that he was
\nquestioned about his educational background as well as his
\nactivities in Germany.<\/p>\n
Bintang left for Germany on March 28 and returned to Indonesia
\non April 13. Military officials have, on various occasions,
\nalleged that he took part in a string of protests in Germany.<\/p>\n
His questioning is to be continued today.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile Brig. Gen. Rusdihardjo confirmed on a separate
\noccasion that Bintang was still being questioned as a witness in
\na case of defaming President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
"We are still collecting evidence," he told reporters. He
\nadded that the police have not determined who is the prime
\nsuspect in the defamation case.<\/p>\n
Bintang, an outspoken PPP legislator, told a press conference
\nyesterday that his visit to Germany was not to mobilize the
\ndemonstration against the President.<\/p>\n
"I went to Germany for a series of lectures at two German
\nuniversities, the Indonesian Students Association in Germany, and
\ninterviews with several foreign radio stations," he said.<\/p>\n
"The demonstration would have happened anyway even if I had
\nnot been in Germany because it had long been prepared by local
\nactivists," he added.<\/p>\n
He, however, admitted that he did witness one demonstration
\nheld near his hotel in Hannover.<\/p>\n
"I was in the crowd because I was curious about what they were
\nprotesting," he said.<\/p>\n
Bintang's acknowledgement was different from the statement
\nissued by the Indonesian Embassy, saying that it had evidence and
\neyewitnesses that he together with human rights activist Yeni
\nRosa Damayanti were seen carrying posters.<\/p>\n
In the latest twist, the new edition of Gatra magazine reports
\nthat a Hannover university student, Inge Jaeger, 29, denied that
\nBintang and Yeni were behind the demonstration and claimed that
\nher group was responsible for the action.<\/p>\n
"We organized the demonstration. It is strange that Bintang
\nand Yeni were linked with the demonstration," Jaeger told the
\nweekly.<\/p>\n
She said that the demonstration had been prepared since the
\nbeginning of February with the involvement of 21 non-governmental
\norganizations (NGOs).<\/p>\n
It was the forum of the 21 NGOs that invited Bintang and Yeni
\nto Hannover for the Hannover Fair 1995.<\/p>\n
Jaeger also denied allegations that Goenawan Mohamad, former
\neditor of the defunct Tempo magazine, masterminded the
\ndemonstrations.<\/p>\n
"We did not know who Goenawan was," she said.<\/p>\n
Goenawan has also denied the accusations. He had already
\narrived in Singapore and was on his way home from a visit to
\nGermany when the demonstration against President Soeharto
\noccurred, he said.<\/p>\n
He said that he had been traveling for a month through the
\nNetherlands, Germany, France and England since March 1.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Yeni said that she did not participate in nor
\norganize any demonstration.<\/p>\n
"I only saw the demonstration. What's wrong with that," she
\nsaid in Netherlands.<\/p>\n
She also said that she was acting as an invited guest to speak
\nat Hannover University. She then went to the Netherlands after
\nthe university program was over.<\/p>\n
Yeni is reportedly still in the Netherlands to participate in
\na lecture on journalism.(imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-interrogate-sri-bintang-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}