Oetojo says security checks O.K.

Oetojo says security checks O.K.

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman said citizens
found by the Bakorstanas, a security coordinating body, to have
past communist links can take the matter to court if they believe
the judgment is wrong.

He said Bakorstanas has the authority to determine whether
people had links with the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), which
was outlawed because of its involvement in a coup attempt in
1965.

The minister was commenting on the increasing criticism of the
Armed Forces' policy to step up the campaign to weed out
politicians who had past links with the now defunct communist
party.

Several prominent figures, including human rights activists,
say that the authority to determine whether someone had past
communist involvement lies with the judicial system.

At present Bakorstanas screens prospective officials and
politicians. Anyone found to have past communist links cannot
enter the bureaucracy nor can they become a leader of a political
organization.

"Bakorstanas has the full authority to conduct investigations
into possible leftist elements in any organization," Oetojo said
after a meeting with Malaysian Chief Justice Tan Sri Dato' Haji
Mohd Eusoff Chin.

He also made it clear that a citizen declared to have links
with any outlawed organization can sue Bakorstanas if they are
sure the finding is wrong.

"Indonesia upholds the supremacy of law, so let the court
decide the truth," he said.

He pointed out that the chairman of the West Java chapter of
the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), Djadjang Kurniadi, who is
facing allegations of being involved in communist activities
could sue the security body if he was dissatisfied with the
finding.

The West Java military commander announced late last year that
Djadjang had been involved, either directly or indirectly, in the
attempted communist coup of 1965.

Djadjang had been singled out as a member of the pro-communist
camp within the Indonesian Nationalist Party (PNI). PNI, in
addition to two Christian groupings and other minor nationalist
parties, merged into the PDI in 1973.

The communist issue resurfaced after Jusuf Merukh, a notorious
PDI party rebel, who leads a rival board set up by a group of
disgruntled party leaders, claimed that up to 300 PDI members had
past communist links.

Deputy chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights
Marzuki Darusman said on Monday that allegations that a citizen
has communist links should be proven in court.

"The political and ideological approach cannot be used to
settle the problem," he said as quoted by the Kompas daily
newspaper.

PDI's chief Megawati Soekarnoputri said it was unfair to shape
public opinion that PDI was the only organization which is
suspected to have former communist activists. She insisted that
the Armed Forces and the security agencies should treat other
political organizations in the same way.

"The screening, if it is carried out again, should not be
limited to the PDI alone, but should cover the ruling Golkar and
PPP (United Development Party) as well," she said.

Commander of the Armed Forces (ABRI) Gen. Feisal Tanjung said
that Megawati should offer her idea to the House of
Representatives for endorsement.

"ABRI will act only upon a government request," he said.

He said that the Armed Forces took the matter seriously and
would investigate PDI leaders suspected of having connections
with the communist party.

All political organizations make it requisite that anyone
wanting to be a member must have no links with the communist
party or any other banned political organization. (imn)