Govt urged to restore late Dharsono's name

JAKARTA (JP): A group of senior government critics is urging President B.J. Habibie's government to restore the good name of the late Hartono Rekso Dharsono, a soldier and diplomat whom former president Soeharto's regime jailed for subversion.

Members of Petisi 50, speaking to the media yesterday during a gathering at the Central Jakarta residence of its leader, Lt. Gen. (ret.) Ali Sadikin, were united in saying that Dharsono -- a lieutenant general when he retired from the Army -- was innocent.

Ali said Gen. (ret.) A.H. Nasution and Lt. Gen. (ret.) Kemal Idris, both respected Army veterans, had earlier made the call on the present government to restore the good name of Dharsono. The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) will lead the campaign, Ali added.

"It was no sin of Dharsono that he was arrested, tried and jailed for 10 years for a crime he did not commit," Ali said at the gathering, which was to celebrate the release of several high-profile political prisoners, including political activists Sri Bintang Pamungkas and Nuku Suleiman.

Also attending were other Petisi 50 members including 76-year- old former National Police chief Gen. (ret.) Hoegeng Iman Santoso, former manpower minister S.K. Trimurti, 86, former mines and energy minister H.M. Sanusi and former Atma Jaya University lecturer Chris Siner Key Timu.

Ali, 72, is a former governor of Jakarta.

After taking part in the independence struggle of the 1940s, Dharsono's military career peaked when he became chief of the Bandung-based Siliwangi Regional Command in 1966-1969, during which time he helped establish Soeharto's New Order government.

He served as ambassador to Thailand (1969-1972) and Cambodia (1972-1975) and was once a secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (1976-1978).

After retiring from public life, he became one of Soeharto's staunchest critics. He was sent to jail in 1985 after he was declared guilty of attempting to undermine the government, inciting and causing unrest by taking part in the drafting of a White Paper on the Sept. 12, 1984, Tanjung Priok riot.

He was freed for good behavior in 1990 after serving five years of his jail term.

Dharsono died of cancer in June 1996.

A former student leader, Erlangga, who was convicted along with Dharsono and jailed for six years in 1985, also testified during the gathering yesterday that Dharsono was innocent.

"In the name of Allah, I testify that Pak Ton was innocent... and I urge the present reform government to rehabilitate his honor."

Erlangga said an "engineered trial" followed the Soeharto military crackdown at the Tanjung Priok port. In the bloody incident that ensued on Sept. 12, 1984, the government said 30 people died, but witnesses have claimed about 400 were killed.

Yesterday, Petisi 50 urged the government to reopen the investigation into the Tanjung Priok incident. (aan)