Freeing of political detainees

Freeing of political detainees

From Republika

The euphoria of reform continues. In keeping with that spirit
the government -- through the justice minister -- has set free
and granted clemency to political detainees and prisoners.

Sri Bintang Pamungkas and Muchtar Pakpahan were the first to
enjoy the sweetness of one of the steps of reform taken. Not long
afterward, East Timor anti-integration demonstrators enjoyed the
same. Furthermore, the government and the Armed Forces started to
disclose the case of the shooting of students at Trisakti
University and that of the abduction of activists. Then
committees, organizations, or whatever their name, joined in.

But amid all that, an irony occurred because Moslem political
detainees and prisoners connected with incidents like Tanjung
Priok, Lampung, Jihad Command and others have not been freed yet.
It has been indicated that all those happenings were not free of
the New Order regime's political engineering.

This has led me as a layman to ask myself a number of
questions. Why is it difficult to free them? Are they more
dangerous than Subandrio or anti-integration demonstrators? Or
what? What is wrong with them? Where is justice? Let God evaluate
our actions. We should be convinced that nothing is eternal in
this world. God will certainly let the truth come out. Remember,
my fellow brothers and sisters of the same faith, God will
require accountability for each of our deeds, good or bad, all
will have their reward. The court there is just. Let us be saved
from oppressive deeds.

ZUHRI

Bandung