Priest indicted for harboring fugitives

JAKARTA (JP): Jesuit Catholic priest Ignatius Sandyawan Sumardi and his brother, Benny Sumardi, were indicted yesterday for harboring two alleged masterminds of the July 27, 1996, riots.

Prosecutor Darwis Lubay told the Bekasi District Court in Bekasi, West Java, that Sandyawan and Benny, a furniture entrepreneur, would be sentenced to a maximum nine-month jail term for violating Article 221 of the Criminal Code.

Darwis charged that Sandyawan, 38, and Benny, 44, had provided shelter to the Democratic People's Party (PRD) leader Budiman Sudjatmiko along with activists Yakobus Eko Kurniawan and Petrus Hari Haryanto.

The alleged episode occurred at Benny's house in Bekasi on Aug. 3, 1996.

The three student activists were at the time wanted for allegedly masterminding the July 27, 1996, riots in Central Jakarta.

Budiman was arrested and sentenced to 13 months in jail in March. His colleagues have also been arrested and given light sentences.

Sandyawan said the trial was a trying act of humanity.

"When an act of humanity is being tried, it is a source of reflection for us all," he said.

Sandyawan maintained that his decision to harbor the wanted activists was a personal choice and he was ready to face the consequences.

"It was purely my autonomous decision. It was not, for example, an order from the Vatican," he added.

The priest and his brother were defended by lawyers Luhut M.P. Pangaribuan, Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara, Suhana Natawilwana and Dwiyanto Prihartono.

Sandyawan is renown for his social work, actively helping street children and involved in land disputes affecting the poor.

The trial was adjourned yesterday until next week. (05)