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)