Legislators brand wanted scientist 'coward, hypocrite'
Legislators brand wanted scientist 'coward, hypocrite'
JAKARTA (JP): Two legislators reacted strongly yesterday to
the news that social scientist George Aditjondro was seeking
permanent resident status in Australia to avoid criminal charges
in Indonesia.
The ruling Golkar faction's Krissantono said the scholar was a
"coward", while Kamil Shahab, also of Golkar, branded George a
"hypocrite".
Separately, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas underlined
the fact that Indonesia and Australia had an extradition treaty.
Alatas said, however, that any decision to commence
extradition proceedings against George would be left to the
police and the prosecutors' office.
George said recently in Perth that he had decided to seek
permanent residency in Australia after consulting the Western
Australian branch of the International Commission of Jurists.
The 49-year-old social scientist, who is currently lecturing
in Asian Studies at Perth's Murdoch University, is wanted by
Yogyakarta police on charges of slandering the Indonesian
government during a seminar at Universitas Islam Indonesia.
George has already ignored three police summons and the
authorities say they have contacted Interpol regarding the
possibility of bringing him home to face the charges.
"If he is a responsible person, he should come home to face
the investigation and the trial. He shouldn't stay in Australia
and seek some kind of asylum," said Krissantono.
George should live up to his claim to be someone who loves
democracy and should not run away from his responsibilities,
Krissantono told Antara.
"He should face the consequence of his actions," Krissantono
said.
Krissantono said George should follow the example set by
senior journalist and democracy campaigner Mochtar Lubis, who has
twice been jailed for speaking out against the government. "He
chose to be tried while some of his colleagues fled," the
legislator said.
"I have more respect for Sri Bintang Pamungkas, because he has
the courage to face the consequences of his actions," Krissantono
said, referring to the outspoken politician from the United
Development Party.
Sri Bintang was dismissed from his seat in the House of
Representatives by his own party last month. He is now facing
charges that he took part in a demonstration against the
Indonesian government in Germany in April.
Another Golkar legislator, Kamil Shahab, called George a
"hypocrite" for taking a course which, he said, was the most
convenient for the scholar.
Kamil said, however, that the authorities should not take
steps to bring George back. "If he doesn't consider Indonesia his
country anymore, what are we to do?"
Alatas said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was
monitoring the case and, in particular, was keeping abreast of
what the police were doing.
"We don't know yet what will come out of it. If he refuses (to
return to face the charges), and also conveys this refusal
officially, then we'll see what the police want us to do," he
said. "We have an extradition treaty with Australia, but that is
just a fact that I wanted to remind you of." (emb)