Ex-prisoners eligible to vote

Ex-prisoners eligible to vote

TEGAL, Central Java: The authorities have restored the right
of some 9,500 former political prisoners to vote in the general
elections.

The former prisoners, who were involved in the abortive Sept.
1965 coup, will join some 770,000 other residents of Tegal in
casting their ballots in the 1997 elections.

The 9,500 people have served varying lengths of time in prison
for different degrees of involvement in the coup.

According to the head of the local social and political
affairs, Redianto, the number of people eligible to vote may
increase because those who will reach 17 just before the general
elections have yet to be registered. (wah/swe)