Day marked in constrasting fashion

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The two presidential candidates due to contest the Sept. 20 election held two separate flag-raising ceremonies on Tuesday, the day when millions of people across the country joined hands to celebrate the nation's 59th anniversary of independence.

Megawati Soekarnoputri led the Independence Day flag-raising ceremony with full pomp at the presidential palace, while her rival, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, chose to hold a flag-raising ceremony at his private residence in Cikeas, Bogor, West Java.

Wearing a white kebaya (traditional Javanese blouse), Megawati presided over her last Independence Day ceremony before seeking a full, five-year term in the Sept. 20 election.

The celebration was also enlivened by the Twilite Orchestra, which accompanied a choir singing patriotic songs.

Many high-ranking officials, including Vice President Hamzah Haz, People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais, House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung, Cabinet ministers and legislators, attended the ceremony.

No former presidents were seen in the crowd, while the only former vice president to attend the event was Try Soetrisno.

State Secretary/Cabinet Secretary Bambang Kesowo said all former VIPs, including former ministers Susilo and Jusuf Kalla, had been invited to the palace, but they did not confirm whether they would attend.

Megawati also hosted a lunch for former independence fighters, and later in the evening held a state reception at the palace.

Separately, Susilo invited his neighbors in Cikeas, Bogor, to attend a flag-raising ceremony and Independence Day celebration at his residence.

The flag-raising was followed by games traditionally held on the day, including tug-of-war and climbing a greased tree trunk to retrieve prizes.

While millions of people across the country thronged flag- raising ceremonies, violence continued unabated in troubled Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam province.

At least three suspected members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) were killed in three separate skirmishes on Tuesday, with government troops recovering one rifle from the rebels.

In Bandung, police declared a student, Dadan Yanuar, from Bandung Law School Academy (STHB) a suspect for allegedly setting ablaze a red-and-white flag during a happening art event held in front of the western gate to the Gedung Sate on the eve of Independence Day.

Celebrations in other troubled provinces, Papua and newly established West Papua, proceeded peacefully.

Two incidents took place in Ambon where two flags belonging to the separatist South Maluku Republic (RMS) were hoisted in Latta and Halong Baru villages in Teluk Ambon Baguala regency. The two were among hundreds of national red-and-white flags raised across the town. After receiving a report from locals, police immediately lowered the RMS flags.

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Bombers, rebels, corruptors get sentence reductions

Free Aceh Movement (GAM) inmates, Bali bombers and former president Soeharto's youngest son, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, were among prisoners who had their jail sentences cut on the country's 59th anniversary of Independence Day on Tuesday.

A total of 48,248 inmates at prisons across Indonesia received sentence remission, with at least 4,947 freed on Tuesday. Currently, a total of 57,056 inmates are held in prisons throughout the country.

While some 900 GAM prisoners and more than half of 33 convicted of the 2002 Bali bombings received sentence reductions of a maximum of only two months, Tommy was granted remission of six months and 15 days. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison for ordering the murder of a judge and for corruption.

Minister for Justice and Human Rights Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the sentence reduction for Tommy was calculated from a total of four months of regular reduction and two-and-a- half months extra as suggested by the warden at Nusa Kambangan prison, where he is serving his sentence.

The leniency, which is traditionally granted by the government on the country's annual Independence Day and on other holidays, is not applicable to prisoners serving life sentences or on death row.