Megawati questioned for 2nd time

JAKARTA (JP): The police interrogated the ousted Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) chief, Megawati Soekarnoputri, for a second time yesterday, leaving the public guessing whether her testimonies would incriminate her in the defamation of President Soeharto case.

Megawati was questioned as a witness in the case involving People's Democratic Party (PRD) leader Budiman Sudjatmiko, whom the military accuses of insulting President Soeharto during a free speech forum at the PDI headquarters.

"The police investigators told me that I would not be summoned for further inquiries as a witness," Megawati told reporters after the 90-minute interrogation.

No police officials were available for comment.

The leader of Megawati's team of defense lawyers, R.O. Tambunan, claimed the investigators had failed to prove that Megawati had any links with the PRD, which is accused of inciting the July 27 riots which left at least four people dead.

Megawati, the eldest daughter of late President Sukarno, flatly denied allegations that she was linked to the PRD.

"I love this republic. Everyone knows that I am a daughter of one of this country's founding fathers, Sukarno. Nobody should doubt my loyalty to the country."

President Soeharto said in a Japanese newspaper interview on Monday that Megawati could be arrested.

He said that PRD activists had infiltrated Megawati's supporters when they protested the government-sponsored PDI congress in Medan. Megawati was replaced as PDI chief by Soerjadi at the congress.

The riots erupted after Soerjadi's supporters, helped by security officers, took over the PDI headquarters occupied by Megawati's loyalists.

Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung said investigators would interrogate Catholic priest Father Ignatius Sandyawan Sumardi S.Y. who is suspected of hiding several PRD activists.

"We'll make sure that Father Sandyawan is questioned. It seems that he had helped hide Budiman and his accomplices," Feisal told journalists.

Sandyawan, who heads the Jakarta Social Institute, had allegedly helped protect Budiman, PRD's secretary-general Petrus H. Haryanto and deputy chairman Kurniawan.

Asked whether Father Sandyawan would be summoned as a witness or as a suspect, Feisal said it would depend on the ongoing investigation of key suspects.

Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman also said that Father Sandyawan would be questioned.

"We have to find out why he offered safe haven to the three activists," Oetojo said.

Father Sandyawan said on Wednesday that he offered the men protection for humanitarian reasons, for their well-being.

Yesterday, he and his lawyers met members of the National Commission on Human Rights. The priest, who is the secretary of a group of volunteers searching for missing people from the July 27 riots, was received by commission members Albert Hasibuan, Clementino dos Reis Amaral, Soegiri, B.N. Marbun, and Marzuki Darusman.

After the meeting, Marzuki told reporters that the priest had admitted giving "protection" to the PRD activists hunted by the authorities, but was willing to help the government's investigation into the riots. Marzuki repeatedly called on the government to "abide by the law".

"The only parties with the right to make arrests, to detain and interrogate are the police and the Attorney General's office," he said, adding that proper legal procedures must be followed to prevent public anxiety.

"Please, don't make any assumptions, evaluations outside of the legal procedures... keep the commitment to uphold the law," Marzuki beseeched.

Marzuki said they had discussed the priest's safety from persecution at the meeting. He said that Sandyawan's decision to hide the activists was religiously, rather than politically, motivated.

"As a religious leader, he was moved to protect a community member in need," Marzuki said. "The priest will provide information and is willing to be questioned, as long as it's done by the attorney general's officers or the police. People other than them, no!"

Marzuki lashed out at the military for several recent arrests. "We are calling (on the military) to stop its errant procedures. Please meet all the basic procedures," he said. (imn/bsr/16/32)

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