`Primadosa' author makes first legal move against government

JAKARTA (JP): Wimanjaya K. Liotohe, who is under police investigation for his book that many found insulting to President Soeharto, has confronted the authorities on the legal front by filing a lawsuit against the government for banning his book.

The Jakarta State Administrative Court yesterday opened the first hearing on Wimanjaya's complaint against Attorney General Singgih for the ban of Primadosa (Prime Sins).

The evangelist turned author, who is represented by lawyer Joewono, questioned the authority of the Attorney General to ban the book.

During the hearing, held behind closed doors, the court asked the plaintiff to revise the lawsuit and present it in the following trial session next month, according to Wimanjaya.

Attorney General Singgih, who will be represented by government lawyers, is scheduled to present his response to the suit during one of next month's open sessions.

Wimanjaya is still required to make visits to the Jakarta Police Headquarters to help with the investigation after complaints by many public figures that his book misrepresented history and discredited, not only President Soeharto, but also all subsequent administrations since 1966.

He is scheduled to be questioned again for the third time at the City Police Headquarters tomorrow.

Police issued a warrant on April 6, stating that the author will be charged with insulting President Soeharto in January when he released his three-volume book.

If found guilty under the defamation law, the author could face a maximum jail penalty of six years.

During the police interrogation, Wimanjaya is being represented by lawyers from the Alamsyah Hanafiah SH & Associates.

The 60-year-old Wimanjaya earlier said that Primadosa was not intended to be published as a book. He claims that the contents are from a lawsuit he filed against President Soeharto, whom he accuses of masterminding an attempt to overthrow Sukarno in 1965, which has been officially blamed on the Indonesian Communist Party (PDI). Sukarno survived the coup, but fell from disgrace the following year.

Soeharto drew public attention to the book in January when he disclosed its existence. He said that the contents were a personal attack against him, and stressed that he took it as a challenge.

It was Soeharto's half brother and businessman Probosutedjo who lead the call for legal action against Wimanjaya for insulting the head of state through the book.

Many Moslem leaders are backing Probosutedjo's call, but senior government officials have been reluctant to pursue the matter because such an action would give even greater publicity to the book.

Wimanjaya said he will take his case to the United Nations, urging the international body to establish a fact-finding team, if there are violations in the investigation procedures by the police. (par/prs)