Tears of joy for the Omar Dhanis

Tears of joy for the Omar Dhanis

JAKARTA (JP): "I want to be a child again," said Dian Sri
Indrapuri, 37.

Such a simple wish from a daughter who has been separated from
her father by prison walls for nearly 30 years.

Dian was only nine years old when her father, Omar Dhani, then
an air marshal and air force chief of staff, was sentenced to
death for his role in the Sept. 30, 1965 putsch that has been
blamed on the Indonesian Communist Party.

"I used to wake up at midnight, walk through the door which
connected my room with his bedroom and snuggle with him," she
said yesterday, recalling one of the happiest moments she spent
with her father while he was still free.

"But now I have to compete with his grandchildren," Dian said
good-naturedly.

The government granted clemency on Friday to three political
prisoners: Omar Dhani, 71; Soebandrio, 81, a former deputy prime
minister; and Raden Soegeng Soetarto, 77, a police general who
served in the Indonesian intelligence agency.

The three, all convicted for the same crime, were originally
sentenced to death, but President Soeharto commuted their
sentences to life imprisonment in the early 1980s.

For Dian's mother, the clemency climaxed a long wait.

Sri Wuryanti, 61, was only 32 when her husband was imprisoned.
Five children -- the youngest only five months old -- and the
political background of her husband made life difficult.

"There are so many things I want to say, but cannot because I
still feel like crying," she explained, trying to hold back tears
of joy.

"We have never lost our faith that one day we will be together
again, but every time I read about those who were against the
clemency, I had to admit that I became somewhat discouraged.
After all, I'm only human," she said in a soft, motherly voice.

"Tomorrow (today) we will visit bapak and bring him the news.
They should have told him," she said while smiling and exchanging
greetings with relatives who were flooding in to her newly-
renovated house in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta.

The long-awaited news brought back memories of the times she
spent with her husband.

"He never got angry and was always helpful, supportive. He
still is," she recalled.

Faith in God is the key to her and her family's survival,
which has also helped her children to live a normal life, she
said.

"Father always tells us that God has determined the path we
have to follow in our life. This is our life, this is our
reality. Maybe that's why we could accept this (Omar's
imprisonment) as a fact of life, without any regrets," Dian
added.

Omar's family has always been religious. Born on Jan. 23, 1924
as a second son of three siblings to the Boyolali regent in
Central Java, Omar was raised in a strong Islamic atmosphere that
he and his wife have handed down to their children. As Javanese,
Omar and his wife also observe the fasting tradition.

"Bapak and I fast every Monday and Thursday and during the
weton of our children," said Sri Wuryanti.

The weton is the day of birth according to Javanese calendar.

Her children have given her 11 grandchildren and have a strong
relationship with their father.

"I always took them to visit Bapak when they were young. I
visit him every Wednesday and Sunday, but Sunday is when
everybody comes with me," she said.

Her youngest son, Budi Setia Maharesi, 29, is especially close
to his father.

"Maybe because he has never known how to have a father," his
mother explained.

The family must wait until Aug. 16 before they can make up for
lost years.

"We haven't made plans yet. But as a start we will quench our
longing for bapak," Dian said. (lem)