George to arrive to attend rights, democracy conference
George to arrive to attend rights, democracy conference
JAKARTA (JP): Scholar George Junus Aditjondro is to arrive at
the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport today from Australia to
attend a regional conference on human rights and democracy.
"I have been invited to speak at a two-day conference held by
the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) on Monday," George, a
former lecturer of Salatiga's Satya Wacana University, told The
Jakarta Post from Australia on Saturday.
George, 52, who is now teaching the sociology of corruption at
Newcastle University in Newcastle, hit the headlines four years
ago when he was wanted by Yogyakarta Police on charges of
slandering then president Soeharto during a seminar at the
Indonesian Islamic University.
After his dismissal from Satya Wacana University, George,
along with his wife and only son, moved to Australia in early
1995.
The government had at that time even contacted Interpol
regarding the possibility of bringing him home to face the
charges.
"This will be my first journey to Indonesia in the past three
years," George said, adding that he would also visit his parents
in the Central Java capital of Semarang during his one week
visit.
George also said that on Thursday he would launch his 160-page
book Kedua Puncak Korupsi, Kolusi, Nepotisme Rezim Orde Baru;
Dari Soeharto ke Habibie (The Two Peaks of Corruption, Collusion
and Nepotism in the New Order Regime; From Soeharto to Habibie),
published by the Center for Information and Action Network for
Reform (PIJAR).
He is best known for his database and analysis of the wealth
of former president Soeharto and for his scholarly works on East
Timor.
Lately, he has been disseminating, through the Internet, his
research on the wealth and businesses of President B.J. Habibie
and his family.
Attorney General Andi Muhammad Ghalib is now investigating
allegations that Soeharto allegedly amassed a fortune during his
32 years in power.
Ghalib, after receiving drafts of authorization from Soeharto
to open any bank accounts bearing his name both here and overseas
on Friday, said he planned to question those who had publicly
alleged the former ruler had amassed a fortune worth trillions of
rupiah, including the Indonesian Business Data Center (PDBI)
executive director Christianto Wibisono.
Christianto, however, said in a statement on Friday that he
had given the report to the attorney general's office in June.
PDBI announced in June it estimated the wealth of former
president Soeharto, his family and close associates to be around
Rp 200 trillion (US$20 billion). (byg)