Murdered reporter's articles on display

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Articles critical of the Bantul regency government and believed to have cost reporter Fuad Muhammad Syafrudin his life are on display at Atmajaya Catholic University.

The rare week-long exhibition which opened yesterday is sponsored by Teropong campus magazine.

The exhibition opened by Teropong chief editor Widiasto Putro is the latest activity keeping aflame the unresolved August murder case of the Bernas daily journalist.

"The Indonesian Journalists Association's fact finding team and the mass media have been frustrated over the unresolved case," said Sigit Setyono, a Bernas senior editor who attended the exhibition.

Syafrudin, or Udin, was attacked by a group of unknown people on Aug. 13 and died in hospital three days later. The police have brushed aside suggestions from the association and the Commission on Human Rights that he was murdered because of his reporting on corruption in Bantul government.

The arrest of a driver who police allege killed Udin in a jealous rage has been widely questioned by critics who charge the police with a cover-up attempt.

Among Udin's news reports on display are ones alleging that Bantul regent Col. Sri Roso Sudarmo offered a bribe of Rp 1 billion (US$425,000) for re-election to a powerful foundation in Jakarta.

Sigit said journalists have hit a wall in their efforts to uncover the case because the authorities are clinging fiercely to their theory and do not seem to listen to public input.

National chief detective Brig. Gen. Rusdihardjo said in Yogyakarta Tuesday that he had personally suggested the police listen to other sources.

"The police should not be over confident about their theory, the journalists' association involved senior journalists in their investigation. They should be heard," he said. (23/pan)