PDI legislators face criminal charges: Oetojo

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.

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)