Marzuki lashes out at police action against Winters

Marzuki lashes out at police action against Winters

JAKARTA (JP): Leading human rights campaigner Marzuki Darusman
rebuked the police on Wednesday for naming American scholar
Jeffrey Winters a suspect for allegedly defaming Coordinating
Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry Ginandjar
Kartasasmita.

Marzuki warned that Ginandjar could be adversely affected if
the case dragged on.

"It is somewhat irregular that Winters has been named a
suspect because we understand that the statement that he made was
merely reiterating what is already known to the public," the
chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights told The
Jakarta Post.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar M. Sianipar
confirmed on Wednesday that Winters was officially a suspect and
was scheduled to be questioned on Thursday at the National Police
Headquarters.

Winters, an associate professor at Northwestern University in
Illinois, arrived here on Sunday for a six-day visit to launch
the Indonesian translations of his books Power In Motion and The
New Order's Political Sins.

The controversy stems from his allegation last October that
Ginandjar, while serving as minister of mines and energy, had
profited handsomely from the renewal of mining giant PT Freeport
Indonesia's contract of work.

"It is public knowledge based on a finding by a known
institution such as Econit," Marzuki said.

Winters said earlier he based his allegations on material
provided by the research group, which is headed by noted
economist Rizal Ramli. Ginandjar has denied the allegations.

Marzuki said a better approach would be for the government to
ask Winters to clarify his statement and reach an amicable
settlement with Ginandjar.

"The way the police are handling this case now would seem to
be prolonging the matter and this would be to the disadvantage of
Ginandjar," he added.

"If this drags on indefinitely, it will be Ginandjar that will
be affected... and it will only reinforce what the public may
already believe that there may be some truth in Winters'
statement. Therefore, it will only lead to a situation where
Ginandjar would be the losing party."

He added that Winters' statement should not be considered a
personal attack on Ginandjar.

"The government may have mistakenly taken a position which
opens up a question on the part of the public."

Investigating corruption would be the right course of settling
the matter, Marzuki said.

If the police insist on naming Winters a suspect, "then not
only Winters would have to be requested to clarify, but the
police may also have to seek clarification from Ginandjar," he
added.

Winters will also be questioned by the Attorney General's
Office on Friday.

Meanwhile, Minister of Justice Muladi told reporters at the
House of Representatives on Wednesday that the police have yet to
file a request with the ministry to impose a travel ban on
Winters.

In Surabaya, Winters said he was ready to meet the police with
his lawyer, Todung Mulya Lubis. He is scheduled to leave for the
U.S. on Friday. (byg/emf/edt/nur)