Murdered reporter's articles on display

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)