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)