Appeal for student to continue studies

Press, 2 April 1980, Page 6

Appeal for student to continue studies

PA Wellington The fugitive Indonesian student, Jose Satyadharma, should be allowed to stay in New Zealand to continue his degree studies, said the Indonesian Charge d’Affaires (Mr Abdul Karim Sumitro) in Wellington yesterday. It was in Indonesia’s interest to see that Mr Satyadharma returned to Indonesia with the best possible qualifications, said Mr Sumitro, who is Charge d’Affaires until a new In-

donesian Ambassador arrives.

Mr Satydaharma has been in hiding in the Christchurch area since his appeal to the Minister of Immigration for political asylum was rejected. Universities are being circulated with a petition on Mr Satyadharma’s behalf and a committee has been set up to advocate his cause.

Mr Sumitro denied that Mr Satyadharma’s passport had ever been withheld by the Embassy. A member of the Saty-

adharma support committee, Mr Garth Ritchie, had earlier said that the passport had been withheld by the Embassy from Febru - ary 28, 1978, to February 26, 1979. Evidence of this had been used in support of Mr Satyadharma’s case for political asylum. Mr Ritchie produced copies of letters, including a telegram from the Embassy, asking Mr Satyadharma to telephone its consular section. He said that five days after the telegram had arrived the passport had been released.