Court to summon President Soeharto

Court to summon President Soeharto

JAKARTA (JP): The South Jakarta District Court ordered state
prosecutors to summon President Soeharto who is said to be the
victim of alleged defamation by defendant Rachmad Buchori, the
secretary of former politician Soebadio Sastrosatomo.

Presiding judge Suratman said yesterday the panel of judges
agreed with Rachmad, alias Buyung R.B., who asked that the
injured party in the defamation suit appear before the court to
attest that he was defamed.

The judge said Soeharto would either have to appear himself or
deliver a written statement.

According to the executive director of the Indonesian Legal
Aid and Human Rights Association, Hendardi, the move came as a
breakthrough since prior attempts to bring Soeharto forward in
other defamation cases were rejected by the court.

Buyung, 34, is accused of defaming the President through his
involvement in the publishing of a banned book titled Era Baru
Pemimpin Baru, Badio Menolak Rekayasa Regim Orde Baru (New Era
New Leader, Badio Rejects the New Order's Regime Engineering).

The book was written by Soebadio, 78, the founder of the now
defunct Indonesian Socialist Party.

Prosecutor Uri Hasan Basri said Soebadio dictated the
manuscript while Buyung typed it.

The Attorney General's Office banned the 22-page book in
March, saying it could provoke unrest and create a negative image
of the government.

Soebadio was summoned and questioned by the Attorney General's
Office four days after the ban, however, he has not been charged
in the case.

The office has also summoned politicians Ali Sadikin and Yusuf
Ronodipuro for allegedly asking the author to make a copy of the
book for them.

Ali Sadikin is a former Jakarta governor, while Yusuf is
Indonesia's former ambassador to Argentina.

Police arrested Buyung on March 19. He is now being detained
in Cipinang Prison in East Jakarta.

After yesterday's hearing, Hendardi, whose association is
providing legal counsel for Buyung, said the judge's decision to
ask for Soeharto's testimony would help clarify the case which he
described as muddled with legal uncertainty.

"The judge is applying the Criminal Code Procedures which
stipulate that an injured party should be the first one to give
testimony," he said.

Hendardi noted that Buyung has been subject to severe legal
confusion given the fact that the "main suspect" in the case,
Soebadio, has not even been charged.

The hearing was adjourned yesterday for two weeks. (05)