Bintang promises to fight on from behind bars
JAKARTA (JP): Rebel politician Sri Bintang Pamungkas vowed yesterday that he would continue to lead the struggle of his Indonesian Democratic Union Party (PUDI) if he goes to jail.
"My arrest could not suppress PUDI's activities," Bintang told reporters. "On the contrary, it has made PUDI internationally known," he said after attending the Friday noon prayer at the Attorney General's Office, where he is currently being detained.
In spite being heavily escorted on the way back to his cell, Bintang managed to answer some questions to reporters who had waited for him all day.
Bintang and two other PUDI leaders -- Julius Usman and Saleh Abdullah -- are currently under investigation in connection with PUDI's activities, which the government described as subversive.
One of the activities that the government found offensive was sending Idul Fitri cards in which he laid out PUDI's three main agendas: boycott the 1997 election, reject President Soeharto's reelection and prepare for a post-Soeharto era after 1998. The cards were sent to many officials, including Vice President Try Sutrisno.
Bintang said that other people had also made such cards.
"I can show you many Idul Fitri cards similar to the ones I made."
"This is a conspiracy to throw me in jail," he said, without elaborating.
The former legislator for the United Development Party (PPP) is already facing a 34-month jail term meted out last year by the Central Jakarta District Court for insulting President Soeharto. He has remained a free man pending his appeal in the Supreme Court.
The latest charge against him, subversion, carries the maximum penalty of death.
Bintang's wife Ernalia told reporters at the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) that from the beginning, the entire family -- the couple has six children -- has been prepared to face the consequences of his actions.
Ernalia has been visiting Bintang at the detention center everyday since he was arrested Wednesday.
"We hope that what we've done was not in vain and that it encourages people to struggle to correct the government," Ernalia said, quoting her husband.
Human rights groups have criticized Bintang's arrest, saying that he should not be prosecuted for having different political views.
Six lawyers, led by Frans Hendra Winarta of YLBHI, accompanied Bintang and two other activists during the interrogation at the Attorney General's Office.
Meanwhile, 10 activists representing four Moslem organizations submitted a statement supporting the Attorney General's Office in investigating Bintang and the other two PUDI activists, Antara reported.
The groups -- Indonesian Moslem Young Generation, Indonesian Moslem Youths, Youths for the Council for Islamic Propagation and the Special Task Force of the Communication Forum for Islamic Organizations -- said that the authorities should prosecute those who intend to undermine national stability. (05)