Investigator: Suharto son-in-law
admits wrongdoing in kidnappings
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) —
A general who is the son-in-law-of
former President Suharto has
admitted wrongdoing in the kid
napping of dozens of political
activists, a military investigator
said today.
It remains unclear whether Lt.
Gen. Prabowo Subianto gave the
order to troops under his command
to abduct opponents of Suharto.
A military panel is investigat
ing Prabowo, once a fast-rising
star in the military whose career
was sidelined by the downfall in
May of his father-in-law.
Investigators have arrested 10
members of Indonesia’s special
forces, alleging they were involved
in the kidnapping of more than two
dozen activists in 1997 and earlier
this year. Fourteen people remain
missing.
Those that have been released
said they were abducted, tortured
and questioned about their politi
cal activities. Prabowo was in
charge of the special forces at the
time.
Jn testimony this week,
Prabowo repeated an earlier
pledge to take responsibility for
the kidnappings if his troops were
found guilty, said army chief of
staff Gen. Subagyo Hadisiswoyo,
who heads the tribunal.
“Prabowo has admitted wrong
doing, and will take responsibili
ty,” Subagyo said.
Subagyo did not say whether
the troops accused of kidnapping
were under Prabowo’s command at
the time.
Suharto resigned amid riots
and student protests in May.
Shortly thereafter, Prabowo was
transferred to head a military col
lege. He has been suspended pend
ing the investigation.
Under new President B.J.
Habibie, the military has pledged
to pursue those implicated in
human rights abuses.
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UNIVERSITY THEATRE 98-99
Octofer Aftrtf
472-2072
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B B J ‘n^rW^AiigiBtOtfi
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Don’t forget about UPC’s Movies on the Green. Cateh the
fun packed movie ’’Goonies” around 9 pm on August 20th.
We’ll be chillin’ on the green north of Kimball Hall and
enjoying free pop and popcorn.
Nebraska Methodists react
to ruling on gay weddings
OMAHA (AP) — While opin
ions remain divided on whether
homosexual weddings should be
performed in United Methodist
churches, supporters of the man
who may have sparked it all said
the battle is only beginning.
The United Methodist
Church’s Judicial Council, con
sidered the church’s supreme
court, ruled Tuesday- that the
church rule against same-sex
weddings is a law, not a guideline.
Pastors could be reprimanded or
defrocked under the law, which
takes effect immediately.
The controversy started last
year in Omaha when the Rev.
Jimmy Creech performed a Wed
ding for two lesbians at the city’s
largest Methodist church. Creech
was acquitted by a church jury in
March of violating church law but
he was not reappointed as pastor
of First United Methodist Church
in Omaha. He has since moved to
North Carolina.
Creech told the Lincoln
Journal Star in a phone interview
that he feels die ruling is ’’evil.”
“It’s still an unjust and, I think,
evil decision in the impact on
people who are lesbian or gay,” he
said from Ocracoke Island, N.C.
Creech, who now makes his
living cleaning cottages, said sup
porters of same-sex unions would
organize to change the wording of
the church’s social principles. In
the meantime, he said he thought
pastors who felt strongly about
the issue should defy the ruling.
“It is a sad day for the United
Methodist Church. I am grieving
for the United Methodist
Church,” Creech said. “I am
encouraging pastors to go ahead
and celebrate a covenant ceremo
ny in defiance to this ruling.”
Nebraska Bishop Joel
Martinez, who removed Creech
from the Omaha church, praised
the Judicial Council’s decision.
“All ministers in the covenant
of ordained ministry in the United
Methodist Church now have clear
direction on this matter,”
Martinez said.
“I continue to urge all United
Methodists in Nebraska to be
respectful in dialogue and prayer
ful in attitude toward all others
who may hold opposing views on
this matter.”
Mel Semrad, a spokesman for
church members who left the
Omaha congregation in protest
over the wedding, lauded the
decision Tuesday. Semrad and
about 450 others are working to
start their own Methodist church
in Omaha, saying they believe the
Bible and church tradition do not
allow gay weddings.
“First of all I think it reaffirms
to the greater population of
United Methodism that their
beliefs in what United Methodism
is (are) still real,” he said, “...in
this case individuals cannot
rewrite nor redo the Book of
Discipline based on their own
agendas.”
The Book of Discipline con
tains United Methodist church
law. There has been disagreement
over whether wording in the Book
of Discipline’s Social Principles
section that forbids homosexual
marriage is a guideline or a law.
Mike McClellan, an Omaha
attorney and member of First
United Methodist, said he does
not agree with the Judicial
Council’s decision. He called the
decision a political one, made
under pressure from Methodist
bishops.
“I think that they’ve just really
made an unfortunate decision,”
he said. "More than anything it
just sends a bad message to gays
and lesbians.
“It’s difficult to convince
(gays and lesbians) to be a part of
our churches ... wheir the institu
tion itself sends out such awful
messages to them, and hateful
messages.”
The Rev. Charlotte Abram,
new associate pastor of First
United Methodist in Omaha, said
she was disappointed by the rul
ing
“First United Methodist
Church will continue to work
toward the time when the United
Methodist Church will be a place
where there is equality for all
God’s children, including gay
men and lesbians,” she said.
Congo rebels, government in loyalty fight
KINSHASA, Congo (AP) —
There are three war fronts in the
Congo.
Rebels and government loyal
ists are battling in the east and
west for territory, but on the air
waves and in daily newspapers, a
war is also being waged for the
hearts and minds of the people.
The rebels claim sweeping
gains in their march toward
Kinshasa; the government says jt
is retaking lost ground and will
i- —-,
drive all the way to Kigali, the
capital of its rival and neighbor,
Rwanda. Somewhere in between
lies the truth.
Searching for answers, an
envoy from Zambia began an
investigation Wednesday into
charges by President Laurent
Kabila that Rwanda and Uganda
are aiding rebels in a drive to
topple Congo’s government. Both
neighbors have denied Kabila’s
accusations.
Zambian government minister
Eric Siluwamba said he also
hoped to open a dialogue
between Congo and Rwanda to
help ease tensions between the
feuding nations.
Congo’s relations with
Rwanda have been deteriorating
throughout Kabila’s 14 months of
rule, and last month he expelled
Rwandan soldiers who helped
him take power in the central
African nation. The expulsion
prompted ethnic Tutsi rebels in
eastern Congo, who have close
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