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