Govt slaps travel ban on critics

JAKARTA (JP): The government has slapped travel bans on at least four government critics charged with treason pending the result of an ongoing official investigation against them.

Army Lt. Gen. (ret.) Kemal Idris, former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin, economist Sri Edi Swasono and his brother, politician Sri Bintang Pamungkas, were barred from leaving the country by order of a Nov. 23 decree issued by the Attorney General's Office.

Bintang confirmed that he and the other three opposition figures had been informed of the one-year travel ban.

The four men, along with about a dozen others, were questioned by the police last week in the wake of the Nov. 13 Black Friday tragedy during which troops fired at and beat student demonstrators.

The Armed Forces has blamed these dissident leaders for inciting the students, and accused them of plotting to topple the government of President B.J. Habibie.

Bintang could not confirm whether any of the other critics questioned had also been barred from leaving the country.

Most of those questioned were signatories of a Nov. 12 communique which called for the establishment of a provisional People's Consultative Assembly and a presidium government.

Bintang did not take part in the meeting but the government said that he had personally addressed some of the student demonstrations, in which he incited the students.

"They should impose a travel ban on (former president) Soeharto instead of us... because we are intellectuals who will not run away from our responsibilities," Bintang, who is also chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Union Party (PUDI), said.

He added that the Attorney General's move was in violation of a "gentleman's agreement" between the police and the opposition figures on Nov. 18 that no travel ban would be imposed on them.

"We have signed an agreement that we are only required to report three days before any travel plans. They have broken their promise and acted arbitrarily," he said.

Bintang, who was released from prison in May, said he had been questioned under Articles 107 and 110 of the Criminal Code on treason.

If convicted, he could face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Bintang was released, along with labor leader Muchtar Pakpahan, by President B.J. Habibie in May as part of the new government's pledge to build a more democratic country. He was serving a 34-month jail term for defaming Soeharto. (byg)