Court summons Megawati

Court summons Megawati

JAKARTA: President Megawati Soekarnoputri has been ordered to
attend court to testify against a newspaper prosecutors allege
insulted her by, among other things, saying she was crueler than
a notorious Javanese cannibal.

It is the first time a sitting president has been ordered to
testify in a court case.

"I expect prosecutors to present the victim witness to the
hearing next week," presiding Judge Zoeber Djajadi, sitting in
the South Jakarta District Court, ordered during the trial of
Supratman, the managing editor of Jakarta-based daily Rakyat
Merdeka.

The court rejected an application by defense lawyers to
dismiss the case.

Chief prosecutor Arnold Angkouw charged Supratman with
insulting the president and vice president, Criminal Code
violations that carry a maximum penalty of 16 months in jail.

He said the paper published four front page articles between
January and February this year that defamed the President.

The articles included Mulut Mega bau solar (Mega's mouth
smells of diesel fuel), which was accompanied by a picture
depicting a fat woman drinking diesel fuel and Mega lebih kejam
dari Sumanto (Mega is crueler than Sumanto), referring to a
notorious eater of the dead on trial in Central Java.

The daily is also being sued by Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung
for defamation. -- JP

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Police send team to the Philipines
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Police send team to the Philipines

JAKARTA: Indonesian police have sent a team of investigators
to the Philippines following the arrest of four Indonesians
carrying explosives in the southern Philippines last week.

The team was assigned to look into possibilities the
Indonesians were related to regional terrorist group Jemaah
Islamiyah (JI).

"Philippines' authorities have yet to establish the connection
between these men with JI and our team is trying to verify the
links of these men to the organization," police spokesman Brig.
Gen. Edward Aritonang said Tuesday, as quoted by detik.com.

He said police would support the foreign ministry in ensuring
the Indonesians were tried fairly and openly.

The alleged terrorists, identified as Yustinos Barahama, Alan
Panggilawan, Mark Panggilawan and Charlito Panggilawan were
arrested last week with a Filipino, carrying two-bags of
explosives at a bus station in General Santos city.

Two Indonesians are currently serving jail terms in the
Philippines for carrying explosives and involvement with the
terrorist network.--JP.

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Syafii mum about presidency
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Syafii mum about presidency

JAKARTA: Muhammadiyah chairman Syafii Maarif said the
organization will not extend support for any presidential
candidate, including its own Amien Rais.

Underlining that the Muslim-based organization would not
involve itself in politics, Syafii said Muhammdiyah would
distance itself from all parties contesting next year's
elections.

"There is no intention to support certain candidates as we are
not a political organization," Syafii said on Tuesday, as quoted
by detik.com.

Amien Rais, the presidential candidate from the National
Mandate Party (PAN), was Sjafii's predecessor.

Syafii himself has been touted as a possible presidential
candidate.

The noted Muslim figure said that at the coming national
meeting of Muhamamdiyah it would only reveal the criteria for
presidential candidates and would refrain from mentioning names.

"What we need is a leader who has a commitment to lead the
country from the crisis." -- JP

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NGOs protest against mining companies
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NGOs protest against mining companies

JAKARTA: A coalition of 11 non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) has rejected government plans to issue permits to 15
mining companies to operate in conservation areas, citing the
environmental damage caused.

At a rally in front of the Ministry of Forestry on Tuesday,
the coalition warned of an environmental catastrophe that would
follow the mining activities.

"People will suffer from the hazardous waste because of these
projects, and that is not in comparison with the profits gained
from these mines," Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi)
director Longgena Ginting said.

The existing contracts for these mining companies to explore
natural resources in several conservation areas caused major
problems for the government in the past.

However, after evaluations and approval from the House of
Representatives, the government decided to allow the 15 mining
companies to continue with the projects.--Antara