'Information on Sukarno distorted during New Order era'

Sun, 03 Jun 2001, 00:00 WIB | Source: JP

JAKARTA (JP): Political restrictions imposed by the New Order
regime have contributed to the younger generations' ignorance
about founding president Sukarno, Guruh Irianto Soekarnoputra
said during a book launch here on Saturday.

"During the New Order period we could not talk about Sukarno
in a proper way. Whatever information there was about Sukarno
sometimes I feel was distorted," said Sukarno's youngest son, who
is a noted artist in his own right.

During the New Order era, Sukarno was a frequent target of
political attacks.

A series of books on Sukarno's thoughts on democracy,
economics, international affairs and Islam, and a biography by
Dr. Lambert J. Giebels, a Dutch political scientist, were
launched at the Hotel Santika in Jakarta. All of the books are
published by Grasindo.

Film clips of Sukarno from the 1950s and 1960s were shown at
the opening of the event, receiving a warm applause from an
audience of about 400.

The book launch is one of numerous events being put on by a
Jakarta-based committee, of which Guruh is a board member, to
mark the 100th anniversary of Sukarno's birth.

Guruh, who heads the Bung Karno Foundation, unveiled his plan
to establish the Sukarno Center, which will comprise a museum,
library, research center and the various collections of Sukarno.

"All of the collections of Sukarno will be devoted to the
people," Guruh said, while making an appeal for financial support
for the multibillion rupiah project.

Sukarno was known as a great art lover and an ardent collector
of artwork.

The event was highlighted by addresses from committee chairman
Dahlan Ranuwihardja and historian Taufik Abdullah, and closed by
a question and answer session led by Kris Biantoro. (hbk)