Budiman Sudjatmiko not raised as a communist, parents insist

By Stevie Emilia

BOGOR, West Java (JP): Wartono Karyo Utomo says he is hurt by the accusation of communism leveled against him and his son Budiman Sudjatmiko, the chairman of unrecognized Democratic People's Party currently on the run.

"I want the accusation lifted," Wartono told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday night, after saying the evening prayer at his home in the village of Sukaresmi.

"The accusation of me being a former communist is a big lie. I'm not afraid to say this because I was never involved with the PKI," Wartono said, referring to the now-outlawed Indonesian Communist Party blamed for the aborted coup in 1965.

"No, I'm not angry with the people who said this about me. I'm not going to sue him. I just hope Allah will open his heart. He (Syarwan) is a Moslem himself," he said.

Wartono was referring to Armed Forces Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid who insists that Budiman is guilty of communist-like activities and masterminding the July 27 rioting in Jakarta. Earlier, Syarwan also said that Wartono was a former PKI member.

Wartono said his father and grandfather were devout Moslems who fought for independence with the Hisbullah Moslem movement. "Our grandparents performed the haj. My wife and I made the pilgrimage in 1993.

"So how could people accuse us of being PKI members," Wartono asked. "We only know about communism from history books and I always hated the PKI and its brutality."

Budiman's mother, Sri Lestari, runs an Islamic kindergarten next to her house. She said she doesn't believe that her son could ever be involved in activities aimed at undermining the government.

"We didn't raise our children to be that way," she said. "The reports that he masterminded the riot hurt me. I'm his mother. I don't believe it."

Budiman was born in Majenang, Cilacap, Central Java, on March 10, 1970. His grandparents took him when he was 14 months old and took care of him through second grade.

"As a mechanic with a very low salary, only Rp 240 (less than a dollar) a week, I couldn't afford to raise him," said Wartono, who is now an area manager at a Goodyear tire factory.

Budiman rejoined his parents in Bogor after second grade, but left again several years later because, Wartono said, he could not stand his parents.

"Maybe it's because I was too hard on him," Wartono said.

Reading

Sri said little Budiman loved to read, especially newspapers. "He even read old newspapers. When he read, nobody could disturb him," she said. "His father bought him books about President Sukarno, and he loved them.

"When Budiman was little his grandpa would tell him stories about Bung Karno and Budiman would try to imitate (the president's) speeches. He even posed like Bung Karno when we took his picture."

Budiman's brother Haris Susetyo graduated from Gunadarma University in Depok. His sisters Hapsari Hanggarini and Leni Harlina study at the Bogor Agriculture Institute and Padjadjaran University in Bandung, respectively. Both girls wear Islamic head scarves.

Budiman was the only one who dropped out of school when he was in his second semester at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta. "We were very disappointed when we found out that he never went to class," Wartono said.

Wartono stopped sending Budiman money soon after he found out that his son was skipping class. "He didn't use the money that we earned through hard work for his education," Wartono said.

Budiman, whose nickname is Iko, always refused if his parents wanted to visit him in Yogyakarta because he said it made him feel like a little child. After dropping out, Budiman rarely went home.

"Even when he was visiting us, he would be gone all day. When at home he would spend his time reading or watching television," Sri said.

Wartono admitted that communication was poor between him and his children. "They stayed away from me because I was too hard on them," he lamented.

"My husband expects too much from our children. We want our children to succeed, graduate from universities and have decent jobs," Sri said.

Sri and her husband only found out recently about Budiman's involvement in the PRD from Forum Keadilan magazine. Budiman has not contacted his parents since.

"I still can't believe it, but if he's really involved (in the activities), then he should be investigated.

"Just don't hurt him," Sri pleaded, sobbing. "I miss him. If he's arrested or surrenders to the authorities, I will visit him. He's my son, I love him. I don't know where he is, all I can do is look at his picture in magazines and kiss it.

"We are going to pray for him, and let Allah decide his fate. We're just sad it happened. We don't communicate with him very much and suddenly all he has brought to us is sadness."