43 political prisoners freed, 26 rehabilitated

43 political prisoners freed, 26 rehabilitated

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Justice Muladi on Thursday presented
the most precious New Year gift -- the freedom and rehabilitation
of political prisoners.

The government freed 43 more political prisoners on the last
day of 1998 and rehabilitated the name and professions of 26
others who were released recently.

Muladi said the release was stipulated in three presidential
decrees effective on Dec. 31.

Under Presidential Decree No 101/G, clemency was extended to
16 political prisoners sentenced in 1990 to jail terms ranging
from 16 years to life for separatist activities in Lampung and
Aceh.

The prisoners are Sudarsono alias Masdar, Tardi Nurdiansyah,
Fauzi bin Isnan, Sugeng Yulianto alias Sugimin, Riyanto alias
Yanto, Hariyanto bin Yusuf, Fachruddin alias Sukirna, Zamzuri bin
Much. Raji, Fadillah alias Sugito, Abadi Abdullah bin Siswo
Martoto, Munjaeni alias Munjen, Solihin, Arifin bin Karyan,
Mushonif bin Achmad Marzuki, Sri Haryadi alias Sofyan bin Sukam
and Timzar Zubil.

The first 15 are former members of a Lampung separatist group
led by Anwar alias Warsidi, while the last was involved with Aceh
separatists.

Presidential Decree No. 202/98 provided amnesty to 26 East
Timorese political prisoners and abolition of sentences of seven
others for their involvement in antigovernment riots in the East
Timorese towns of Baucau, Ermera, Maliana and Dili.

Amnestied are Alipo Pascoal Gusmao, Paulino Cabral, Mario Jose
Maria, Miguel da Jesus, Agustino da Costa Bello, Eusibio dos
Anjos Marques, Alberto Freitas, Chlermi Soares, Joaqim Carvalho
de Araujo, Luis Gonzaga, Helder Martins, Manuel Gomes, Matheus
Carlos Tilman, Lorico Lopez, Zakarias Sake, Hernani Doelindo, Rui
Laka Mau, Vasco da Gama and Tito dos Reis.

Receiving penalty abolitions were Alfonso Manuel, Matias
Marsal Soares, Dominggus Pereira, Matias Guovea, Sesario Freitas,
Anicetos Soares and Miguel Correira.

Presidential Decree No. 203 rehabilitates the status and
access to former jobs of the 26 recently released political
prisoners.

They are Abdul Gani Masykur, Mohammad Noer Husain, Achmad
Husain, Maman Haji Suaeb, Ali Wahab, Muhdar Yahya, Muhammad Nur
Djafar, Ahsin Jumana, Abdullah Yacub, Mansyur, Yusuf Abdullah,
Abubakar Mansyur, Achmad Djafar, Rusli M. Nur, Usman Adam, Muhtar
Hadiono, Agus Fachry Abd. Gani Maskur, Anwar bin Muhammad,
Kusjaya Firman Kasa, Abdul Hakim, Zaenal Arifin, Muhammad Mahmud,
Abubakar Ismail, Ichwanuddin Ibrahim, and Prof. Oesman Alhamidy.

Muladi said the government would rehabilitate their
citizenship and allow them to return to their former occupations.
Most were teachers and retired servicemen.

He said they were arrested for supporting the Lampung
separatist movement.

The justice minister said the government was also considering
the release of 80 other political prisoners, including those
involved in the infamous Tanjung Priok case in 1984.

He called on lawyers of those yet to be released to give
positive input to the National's Working Committee for Political
Prisoners for further consideration.

Muladi stressed the government's determination to release all
political prisoners deserving freedom before the next general
election.

Nevertheless, the government remained steadfast in its stance
concerning several high-profile prisoners.

"Many separatist movement leaders, including Xanana (Gusmao)
and Warsidi, have yet to be released because of the serious
crimes they committed in the past."

Muladi also expressed the government's conviction not to
enforce the subversion law in the future.

"The government will bring the law before the House of
Representatives in January to be revoked," he said, referring to
the 1998 People's Consultative Assembly decree to rescind the
law. (rms)