Critics charged with conspiracy

JAKARTA (JP): Former army general Kemal Idris, former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin and 10 other government critics would be charged with conspiracy, police said Thursday.

National Police Deputy Chief Lt. Gen. Nana Permana was quoted by Antara as saying in Semarang that dossiers on three of the alleged conspirators have been submitted to the prosecutor's office.

Nana, however, said that he did not remember the names of the three.

The government has slapped travel bans on Kemal, Ali, economist Sri Edi Swasono, (son-in-law of Indonesia founding father Bung Hatta) and his brother Sri Bintang Pamungkas, pending the results of an ongoing official investigation.

The four are barred from leaving the country by order of a Nov. 23 decree issued by the Attorney General's Office.

The four men, along with about a dozen others, were questioned by police last month in the wake of the Nov. 13 Black Friday tragedy during which troops fired at demonstrators.

Police had said that these critics had been questioned under Articles 107 and 110 of the Criminal Code on treason.

If convicted, they could face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

The Armed Forces has blamed these dissident leaders for inciting the students, and accused them of plotting to topple the government of President B.J. Habibie.

Most of those questioned were signatories of a Nov. 12 communique which called for the establishment of a provisional People's Consultative Assembly and a presidium which would serve as a provisional government until next year's general election.

Bintang did not take part in the meeting which produced this communique, but the government said that he had personally addressed some of the student demonstrations, allegedly inciting the students. (byg)