Govt examines memoirs for misinterpretations

JAKARTA (JP): The Attorney General's Office yesterday said that it is currently examining the autobiography of a man who served as a cabinet minister under former Indonesian president Sukarno, amid allegations that the book contains dangerous misinterpretations of the events surrounding the 1965 attempted communist coup and its aftermath.

The announcement was made by Kadarman, the director for political affairs of the attorney general's office, while he was meeting with a group of former student activists who said they had been dishonored by the book Memoar Oei Tjoe Tat, Pembantu President Soekarno (Memoirs of Oei Tjoe Tat, Assistant of President Sukarno).

"Investigators of the Attorney General's Office are studying Oei Tjoe Tat's memoirs," Kadarman said, as quoted spokesman Basrief Arief, in response to the demands of the former student activists.

Oei was one of the cabinet members who were rounded up by the military when Sukarno's government was dissolved in 1966 at the peak of the political turmoil which had its origins in the communist-backed attempted coup of September 1965. Oei was tried and convicted of playing a role the coup. He was released from prison in 1977.

The book, which was launched in April and is available only through friends, rather than from major book shops, was co-edited by writer Pramoedya Ananta Toer, who himself served many years' hard labor for allegedly spreading Marxist ideas.

Five members of Fosko 66, a forum grouping former student leaders who mobilized their colleagues in street demonstrations in 1966 that led to the downfall of Sukarno, presented a petition yesterday to the attorney general's office, calling on him to look into the book.

The delegation was led by the group's chairman Sumarno Dipodisastro. He was accompanied by a member of the group's board of patrons, Fahmi Idris; its secretary-general, Isnanu Chalid; deputy secretary-general Syahlan Pasaribu; and two general affairs staff, Zulfi Gunawan and Dahwir Bakar.

"The book contains provocative messages and irrelevant information which are dangerous to the young generation," Sumarno told reporters after the meeting.

He cited a passage mentioning that the students were used by the military to mobilize support for the removal of Sukarno from power.

"How could we have been used by the armed forces, when our friend Arief Rahman Hakim and some others died in the action (demonstration)?" he asked.

"The Attorney General's Office should consider banning the book," he added.

The head of intelligence operations at the attorney general's office, Gatot Hendrarto, who also attended yesterday's meeting, said he would immediately deliver the petition to the attorney general.

Other officials meeting the delegation included head of the general affairs division, Tarmizi Yunus, and a staff-member of the attorney general's office, M.J. Anas.

The memoirs, which were written by Oei Tjoe Tat 10 years ago, were originally intended for his family and close friends. "It was meant as an explanation of my past political experiences to my children and grandchildren," Oei said during the book- launching last April.

On the urging of friends, however, the book was reprinted and made available to a wider audience.

The autobiography has reportedly been widely distributed, both in Indonesia and abroad. The publisher, Hasta Mitra, has already reprinted the book three times to keep up with domestic demand.

Sumarno said Fosko 66 invited Oei to discuss some of the recollections contained in the book last Saturday.

The author had, he said, stuck firmly to his stand and refused to change the contents of the book.(imn/anr)