I was summoned

Following the publication of my letter in the daily Sinar on Aug. 8, 1994 titled Convoy is for whom? I was summoned by the Directorate of Intelligence and Security of the West Kalimantan Police on Aug. 12, 1994 for investigation concerning the content of my letter. Considering that it is not common practice to issue such a summons and it could become a bad precedent, I made my point clear in a telephone conversation with Lt. Col. Soebijanto, the Head of the Directorate, who signed the summons.

I said that if my letter in Sinar was not true, a denial should be issued according to the right to respond. I added that there was no political tendency in my letter and I did not mean to insult nor slander anybody. However, Lt. Col. Soebijanto responded: "We were not concerned over your letter published in Sinar, but what we want to know is your nationality?" The officer should check the matter through the Department of Justice. Perhaps they thought that I was a fugitive from China and entered Indonesia illegally?

In fact I am an Indonesian citizen by birth and not through naturalization. My complete history is kept in the West Kalimantan Police department. It is true that many people regarded the criticisms contained in my letter as quite strong, regardless of who I was criticizing. But later they praised my attitude as positive and as serving as a social control. In this I case I am a man who calls a spade a spade.

As a citizen I know too well what I can and cannot do. Our Constitution has guaranteed the citizens democracy and freedom of thought.

JOSEPH IVAN CHANDRA

Pontianak, W. Kalimantan