PDI legislators face criminal charges
PDI legislators face criminal charges
JAKARTA (JP): The government intensified its campaign
yesterday to prosecute Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)
politicians linked to the July 27 invasion of the party
headquarters.
The government charges that with their inflammatory remarks
during free speech forums, the politicians stirred anti-
government sentiment and incited people to revolt.
Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman said that the politicians
could be jailed for inciting others to undertake activities that
disrupted public order.
"The punishment that could be meted out to the PDI officials
is as hefty as that to the people who rioted," Oetojo told
journalists.
The police said Wednesday they were awaiting President
Soeharto's approval for their request to question ousted PDI
chief Megawati Soekarnoputri, and legislators Aberson Marle
Sihaloho, Sabam Sirait, Sophan Sophiaan, Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno
and Sukowaluyo Mintorahardjo.
In government eyes Megawati is deemed to be most responsible
for the free speech forum that featured the legislators and
numerous party activists.
The forum started a few days before Megawati was ousted by the
government-backed Soerjadi at a congress in Medan on July 22. It
lasted until the headquarters was invaded on July 27 and
regularly drew huge crowds.
The headquarters takeover angered Megawati's supporters. Many
office buildings, banks and cars were set on fire, three people
died and dozens of others were injured in the riots that ensued.
Oetojo said the legislators could be charged with undermining
the state's security.
"They are facing criminal charges," he said, adding that they
may also be charged with subversion, the most serious offense
under Indonesian law. It carries a maximum penalty of death.
The minister said the same charges may be pressed against
activists of the Democratic People's Party (PRD), who the
military suspects masterminded the July 27-28 riots in Jakarta.
Director of Immigration Pranowo said he had not received a
request from Armed Forces (ABRI) chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung to
slap a ban on PRD activists from leaving Indonesia.
The military likening PRD to the outlawed Indonesian Communist
Party (PKI), which was blamed for the 1965 abortive coup, has
raised questions about its legal basis.
Chairman of the Institute for Strategic Studies of Indonesia
Rudini called on the Armed Forces to prove its allegation that
the PRD is synonymous with PKI.
"ABRI has to prove its allegation otherwise it will ruin its
own image among the people," Rudini said yesterday.
The former Home Affairs Minister said it is high time people
had transparent information on every criminal or subversive
allegation hurled at government critics.
"Unclear information only leads to misinterpretation of the
allegations," he said.
Rudini said he also believes there are similarities in
operational techniques between the PKI and the PRD, but suggested
that there should be further investigation before charges are
leveled at the two-year-old organization.
Asked about the weekend riots, Rudini called on all parties to
consider the consequences of any actions they might take before
coming to a decision over future action.
"Government officials should carefully weigh up all possible
consequences before forcing others to accept their policies,"
Rudini said.
"And at the same time the people should use peaceful means to
further their ideas or express their opposition to any government
policy," he added.
Rudini called on the Armed Forces, the government and the
people to sit down together and have a dialog on state issues.
Meanwhile, the U.S. embassy in Jakarta expressed concern
yesterday over arrests and detentions by the authorities after
last week's riots.
"We continue to be deeply concerned about the apparent
violation of basic rights of freedom of peaceful assembly,
freedom of speech, freedom of association, respect for the rule
of law and the democratic process," embassy spokesman Craig
Stromme said when asked to comment on the arrest of a labor
leader Muchtar Pakpahan of the unrecognized Indonesian Welfare
Labor Union.
"We call on the Indonesian government to ensure that all those
arrested and detained, including Pakpahan, are given due
process," he told Reuters.
Demonstrations of concern over the way the Indonesian
authorities handled the PDI conflict and the aftermath of the
party headquarters takeover reportedly occurred in front of
Indonesian embassies in Manila and Bangkok yesterday.
Gus Dur
In Jakarta, the chief of the Nahdlatul Ulama Moslem
organization, Abdurrahman Wahid, claimed ABRI's spokesman Brig.
Gen. Amir Syarifuddin slandered him when he included his name on
the list of nine persons who had received a so-called "Democracy
Award" from the PRD.
He said that during a recent meeting with East Java non-
governmental organization activists in Surabaya, Amir distributed
copies of the list to the audience.
"It's slanderous. I didn't receive such an award. Why didn't
he cross-check it with me in the first place? I hope ABRI's
commander in chief (Feisal Tanjung) will deal with him strictly,"
he said.
Furthermore, claimed Gus Dur, Amir recently told several
reporters in the city that he is a former member of Iraqi leader
Saddam Hussein's Baath Party.
"Why didn't he call me and check if the information is true?
Just because I once studied in Iraq, he called me a member of the
Baath Party." he said. (pan/imn/jsk)