Anticommunism law needed: Activists

Anticommunism law needed: Activists

JAKARTA (JP): An organization affiliated with the ruling Golkar political organization has proposed that the government should draft an anticommunism law to provide the legal grounds for the state's anticommunist campaign.

Laskar Ampera Arief Rachman Hakim considered the decree issued by the People's Consultative Assembly and the Guidelines of State Policy, which have been used as the legal basis in the campaign against communism, as not firm enough.

"Thus far, the fight against communism has been proceeding without specific laws or regulations," Djusril Djusan, chairman of the foundation, said on Monday.

Recently, the government accused activists of the tiny Democratic People's Party (PRD) of spreading the communist ideology and inciting riots in the capital on July 27.

Ten PRD activists have been detained for subversion, the most serious offense under Indonesian law, which carries a maximum penalty of death.

Djusril also questioned the National Commission on Human Rights' Aug. 31 announcement on its provisional findings of the July 27 riots, which put the death toll at five, with 74 missing.

Earlier, the government had put the death toll at four, but made no mention of people missing.

"The commission is the nation's hope, so they should have been more careful before deciding to announce their findings, so that it would not stir controversy," Djusril said.

The foundation plans to hold a congress next week to synchronize its activists' views and perceptions regarding the current political situation.

Nazwir Abunaen, deputy secretary-general of the foundation, told The Jakarta Post that about 400 of its members would take part in the national meeting, to be held at Hotel Indonesia.

Members of the organization include former student activists from the 1966 Generation, who played a pivotal role in the rise of the New Order administration under President Soeharto.

They also plan to hold a rally in support of the government in Blitar, East Java, though no precise date has been set. "We will hold it before Sept. 30," Djusril said. (14)