Prabowo wants to come home, says brother

JAKARTA (JP): Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto, the disgraced former chief of the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus), would like to return to Jakarta, but is heeding a request by "certain gentlemen" to remain abroad, his brother said on Thursday.

"Prabowo has in fact been wanting to come home for several months. He told me that he misses his family, his parents and even his dogs, but several gentlemen requested he remain abroad," said Prabowo's younger brother Hashim Djojohadikusumo.

Prabowo has been based in Amman, Jordan, since he was discharged from the military in August 1998, following an inquiry which revealed his involvement in the abduction of student activists.

Hashim refused to name the "gentlemen" in question, but said they had told him Prabowo's return would "stir further rumors of his alleged involvement" in the May riots last year, which led to the downfall of his father-in-law, former president Soeharto.

However Farid Prawiranegara, known to be one of Prabowo's closest friends, was more forthcoming: "(President) B.J. Habibie was among those who requested Prabowo stay abroad."

Farid told The Jakarta Post on Thursday evening that Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Wiranto also backed the plan.

Hashim announced on Thursday to the media that Minister/State Secretary Muladi had sent a letter, dated Sept. 13, to the chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights, stating that the government was unable to find any evidence of Prabowo's involvement in the May riots.

Muladi has denied the existence of the letter. (byg/prb)