Police will summon Manai for libel charge

Police will summon Manai for libel charge

JAKARTA (JP): National Police headquarters will summon
columnist Manai Sophiaan following a formal complaint by former
student leaders who say he has tarnished their image.

Members of Fosko 66 lodged a complaint about Manai's
allegation that they were paid by the American Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA) to demonstrate against president
Sukarno in 1966.

They said Manai's statement made in a recent interview with
Tiara magazine was malicious and they have threatened to sue him
for defamation.

Fosko 66 is a loose forum of former student activists who
played a pivotal role in toppling president Sukarno in the
aftermath of the 1965 abortive coup attempted by the Indonesian
Communist Party (PKI).

Spokesman for the National Police Brig. Gen. I Ketut Ratta
said on Thursday that no date has been set to summon the former
ambassador to Moscow and one-time secretary general of the
Indonesian Nationalist Party (PNI).

"The police are looking into Fosko 66's complaint and will
summon Manai to headquarters if they think it is necessary," he
said as quoted by Antara.

Manai has been in hot water ever since he made the press
statement.

Another group of 1966 student activists, Keluarga Besar Laskar
Ampera Arief Rachman Hakim, also plans to file a law suit against
him for the same allegation.(pan)