By Max Lane
Fears are held for the physical safety for Andi Arief who was kidnapped at gunpoint from a house in Lampung, South Sumatra, at 10.30am on March 28.
Arief is the chairperson of Students in Solidarity for Democracy in Indonesia and was the People's Democratic Party's (PRD) most prominent spokesperson after the 1996 crackdown by the dictatorship.
In response to inquiries by the Lampung Legal Aid Institute and Arief's family, local military officials have denied knowledge of the arrest.
Activists report that since student demonstrations began in Lampung two weeks ago, surveillance by plain-clothed military intelligence agents has increased dramatically.
There are now concerns that the Suharto dictatorship has decided to devote more resources to kidnapping PRD activists. This is in part a response to the fact that more and more Indonesians — workers, farmers, taxi drivers, students — are speaking out against the dictatorship.
Dissident playwright Ratna Sarumpaet, currently in jail after speaking at a public forum against the election of Suharto, went on the offensive last week by suing the police for wrongful arrest. Similar action has been taken by 120 urban poor, workers and students who were arrested during a demonstration outside the Bank of Indonesia in early March.
The road for the overthrow of the Suharto dictatorship is now open, but the growing popular dissent and anger must be given a clear focus and direction. There must be an effectively organised political opposition.
One group striving to build such an opposition is the PRD. It is the group which the regime itself believes is behind the most militant and sustained anti-dictatorship actions.
The PRD needs our help. It has been driven underground by the dictatorship and has now lost four more activists in the battle: In the last fortnight, Andi Arief, Mugianto, Nesar Patria and Aan Rusidanto join Budiman Sujatmiko, Dita Sari, Wilson and many other party leaders in custody. The organisation also lost equipment and safe houses during the latest arrests.
We urge all supporters to fax the Indonesian embassy in Canberra demanding that Arief, Mugianto, Patria and Rusidanto be released immediately. You can also help the PRD by sending a donation to Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor's special appeal fund, PO Box 458, Broadway NSW 2007.