Police question four leading opposition politicians

Police question four leading opposition politicians

JAKARTA (JP): Amid growing signs of a crackdown on opposition
figures, police summoned four prominent government critics for
questioning on Sunday.

Former Jakarta Governor Marine Lt. Gen. (ret) Ali Sadikin,
former chief of the Army Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) Lt.
Gen. (ret) A. Kemal Idris, businessman Meilono Soewondo and
politician Sri Bintang Pamungkas were summoned for questioning
under the controversial law on subversion.

Bintang, who was reached for comment en route to the National
Police Headquarters, said he had been summoned along with Ali,
71, and Kemal, 75. No details surrounding Meilono's summons were
immediately available.

Ali is chairman of Petisi 50, a group of retired senior
military officers and public figures critical of the government,
and Kemal is a leader of the National Front opposition group.

Bintang, who was released from prison in May, said he had been
summoned under Article 107 and Article 110 of the Criminal Code,
which deal with subversion. If convicted, he could face a maximum
penalty of lifetime imprisonment.

Adnan Buyung Nasution from the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute
(YLBHI), who is representing Kemal, said during a news conference
that it was not clear why his client had been questioned by the
police.

Buyung said it was "completely baseless" to arrest the four
figures on charges of subversion.

"There has been a (seemingly deliberate) effort to divert
attention from the issue of military brutality and focus it on
the issue of subversion ... who could have planted that thought
in (President) Habibie's head?" Buyung said.

On Saturday, in a televised address on the security situation,
President B.J. Habibie spoke of groups indulging in actions that
are tantamount to rebellions.

"This is a test case for Habibie. It is a chance for him to
show that he is not the military's puppet," Buyung said when
asked if he thought Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto was
behind the arrests.

Pressure has amounted for Wiranto to resign since last week's
violent clashes between the security forces and students that
claimed 15 lives.

Outspoken former minister Sarwono Kusumaatmadja lashed out at
the government's attempt to charge opposition politicians with
subversion, saying it smacked of panic and was a waste of time
and effort.

"It is folly on the part of the government. It has cornered
itself with the use of violence and by pitting civilians against
civilians. Now they are trying to lay the blame on Pak Kemal's
group ... the government has lost all of its remaining
legitimacy.

"Wiranto should resign immediately," Sarwono told The Jakarta
Post.

The respected Movement for Indonesian Justice and Unity (GKPB)
said in a statement that the questioning of opposition
politicians was a "panic act" that would only serve to further
degrade the dignity of Habibie's government and exacerbate
tension in the country.

On Saturday, police questioned Hariadi Darmawan and Roch
Basoeki Mangoenprojo on similar charges.

Sarwono said the two returned home on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Antara quoted politician J.M. Hidayat as saying
that he was ready to face police questioning along with 16 other
prominent public figures who issued a joint communique calling
for Habibie's government to be replaced.

The joint communique issued last Thursday called for the
establishment of a "Provisional People's Consultative Assembly"
and, eventually, a presidium which would serve as a provisional
government up until the general election next year.

Ali Sadikin, Kemal Idris, economist Sri Edi Swasono and
Sukmawati Soekarnoputri, the youngest daughter of founding
president Sukarno were among signatories to the communique.

Meanwhile on Sunday evening, three members of the National
Front opposition group met Moslem leader Abdurrahman Wahid to
discuss comments made by Habibie during a televised address to
the nation on Saturday. During the broadcast, the President said
that radical groups were seeking to topple his government.

After the meeting, Abdurrahman questioned the government's
definition of subversion and said: "If it means having a
different opinion from the government, than the whole nation is
guilty.

"Remember, the truth is not the government's alone." (aan)