Soeharto to rule on clemency for ex-communists

Soeharto to rule on clemency for ex-communists

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman says that
President Soeharto still has to evaluate clemency requests from
three political prisoners, despite Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal
Tanjung having ruled out the possibility of releasing them.

"Gen. Feisal commented on the prospect of a general amnesty
for political prisoners because Soebandrio, Omar Dhani, and Abdul
Latief are seeking clemency from President Soeharto," Oetojo told
reporters on Wednesday night.

The three, who are serving life terms in prison for their role
in the abortive 1965 communist coup, have been encouraged by the
government to apply to have their sentences commuted to
imprisonment with fixed terms.

Legal experts said if the requests were granted, the three
men, now in their 70s and 80s, could be freed because by law one
cannot be imprisoned for more than 20 years. The three men now in
the Cipinang Correctional Facility have been in prison since
1966.

Oetojo stressed that amnesty and clemency are different in
legal terms, with one referring to complete pardon and the other
being a sentence reduction.

Feisal's remarks, made during a hearing with the House of
Representatives on Tuesday, referred to amnesty, he said.

"I agree with Gen. Feisal that the communist accomplices
deserve no pardon," he said.

In security terms, these political prisoners still pose a
potential danger for national security and stability, he said,
echoing the chief reason cited by Feisal for keeping the three
inside.

"The 1965 abortive coup attempt was not the first coup attempt
organized by the PKI," he said, referring to the now outlawed
Indonesian Communist Party which was blamed for the putcsh and a
similar attempt in 1948.

Oetojo said that presidential clemency, if granted to the
three political prisoners, would be based mainly on humanitarian
grounds rather than security, which was the military's chief
concern.

A number of senior politicians, legal experts and human rights
campaigners have urged the government to release the three
political prisoners. They say that they have paid their dues to
society and that at their present age, they should no longer be
considered a threat to national security.

They also argued their case on the grounds that this year
marks Indonesia's 50th independence anniversary and that it is a
good time for the government to reconcile its differences with
its opponents, including the three prisoners.

The government has announced its plans to grant special
remissions to thousands of prisoners in connection with the
Golden Anniversary.

Oetojo said on Wednesday that prisoners serving life sentences
generally do not qualify for remission. Political prisoners,
however, may apply for special presidential clemency to have
their sentences commuted to a fixed term.

He said President Soeharto would rule on the matter before
Independence Day on Aug. 17.

Meanwhile, Muladi of the National Commission on Human Rights
fully understands the military's concern with security if the
three are released, but said that there must be a limit to how
long they spend behind bars.

Muladi also warned that Indonesia will be widely criticized
abroad if the political prisoners die inside.

Soebandrio was deputy prime minister to President Sukarno when
the 1965 coup was staged. Air Marshall Omar Dhani, 71, was
commander of the Air Force at the time and Col. Abdul Latief, 69,
was commander of the First Infantry Brigade of the Jakarta
Military Command.

The three men were originally condemned to death for their
roles in the coup, but their sentences were later commuted to
life imprisonment after they applied to President Soeharto for
clemency. (imn/har/03)