Dossiers on Bintang sent to prosecutors' office

JAKARTA (JP): As police reached the final stages of their efforts to bring Sri Bintang Pamungkas to court for allegedly insulting President Soeharto, discussion of the possible international ramifications has also intensified.

National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman told reporters yesterday that the dossiers on the former legislator accused of participating in the April 9 demonstration against Soeharto in Dresden, Germany, were submitted to the Prosecutor's Office last week.

"We have questioned more than 10 witnesses," Banurusman said. He added that he would not question the witnesses of Bintang's choice, saying that his decision was "not against Criminal Code procedures".

At the House of Representatives yesterday, Deputy Speaker Soerjadi and legislator Zamharir A.R. said that they would not bring the case of Bintang's dismissal from the House to the congress of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in September.

"If there are parties outside of the House, such as a non- governmental organization, that wish to bring the case to the attention of the IPU, then we can't prevent them," Soerjadi said.

"However, if it's the House members who take the case, then it's not normal," he said.

Also yesterday, around 50 students marched to the office of the National Commission on Human Rights protesting the police who barred Bintang from speaking on the freedom of expression at a seminar here Tuesday.

The students unfurled placards and banners which called for freedom of speech and the abolition of a policy which stipulates that people must obtain a police permit to speak in public.

Received by commission member Asmara Nababan, the students complained that the disbanding of the seminar by security personnel was an "arbitrary act".

Following the ban on Bintang, the other speakers scheduled to address the event, including human rights lawyer Mulyana W. Kusumah, decided to also leave the campus.

Over the past several months, Bintang has faced various political setbacks. Earlier this year, he was dismissed by the House faction of the Moslem-based United Development Party for allegedly going against the party's policies and for offending a number of cabinet ministers.

Shortly afterward, he was implicated in a series of anti- Indonesian government demonstrations held during President Soeharto's visit to Germany in April.

Bintang has repeatedly explained that he was in Germany to attend a number of seminars.

A number of prominent human rights lawyers, including Adnan Buyung Nasution, have lent their support to Bintang, who is known for his outspokenness and criticism of government policies.

Bintang himself lodged a complaint in April with the National Commission on Human Rights, protesting the travel and speaking bans slapped on him by the authorities and the terror to which he and his family members have been subjected.

One of the latest developments is the reported plan of the United Nations sub-committee on human rights to discuss Bintang's case in its meeting in Geneva later this month. (anr/05/swe)