Protesters demand release of more political prisoners
Protesters demand release of more political prisoners
JAKARTA (JP): Around 50 students and youths calling themselves
members of the Majelis Penyelamat Kedaulatan Rakyat (Rescuers of
the People's Sovereignty) staged a demonstration in front of the
Cipinang prison yesterday, urging the government to release more
political prisoners as a token of national reconciliation.
"We urge the government to release not only those three
political prisoners (Omar Dhani, Soebandrio, and Soegeng
Soetarto) but also the others," the spokesman's group Eggi
Sudjana said.
In a memorandum addressed to the President, the protesters
stated that national reconciliation could be realized by granting
amnesty and rehabilitation to the ex-political prisoners.
Groups whose opinions, political and economic attitudes and
beliefs differ from those of the government should be granted
their civic rights, which is guaranteed by Articles 28 and 33 of
the Constitution, the statement said.
Article 28 of the Indonesian Constitution affirms the people's
rights to gather, assemble and express opinion while Article 33
states that land, water and all the natural resources they
contain shall be controlled by the State and used for the benefit
of all.
National reconciliation is a way to uphold humanitarian values
such as justice, civilization and piety, the memorandum said.
The demonstrators went to the Cipinang prison at eight in the
morning carrying banners, with one saying "Where are the Moslem
political prisoners? Release them."
Included in the memorandum was a list of 116 Moslem political
prisoners who were apprehended in 1985. The prisoners listed were
allegedly involved in incidents from 1985 to 1987, including the
Tanjung Priok riots, the bombing of the privately owned bank BCA,
the Komando Jihad activities and preaching.
Some prisoners on the list have been released, including AM
Fatwa, HR Dharsono, Tony Ardie and Oesmany Al. Hamidy. Police and
anti-riot troops were deployed to guard the prison.
The demonstrators are expected to return for the release of
Dhani, Soebandrio and Soegeng Soetarto.
Former vice-prime minister Soebandrio, 80, former air force
commander Omar Dhani, 71, and former intelligence chief Raden
Soegeng Soetarto, 77, will end 29 years of imprisonment following
a June 2 presidential pardon granted to them "on humanitarian
grounds".
Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono summoned the political
prisoner's wives to his office on July 28 to announce that their
husbands would be freed after Aug. 15.
Soebandrio and Omar Dhani were sentenced to death by a
military court in 1966 and their sentences commuted to life
imprisonment in 1980. Soetarto's death sentence was commuted to
life two years later. (01)