Megawati questioned for 2nd time

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)

Riot -- Page 2