District court rejects lawsuit against Soerjadi<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Central Jakarta District Court rejected
\nyesterday a lawsuit accusing the chairman of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI) Soerjadi, his cadres and the government of
\nbeing responsible for the July 27, 1996, takeover of the PDI
\nheadquarters.<\/p>\n
The panel of judges, headed by Judge Abas Soemantri, rejected
\nthe suit saying it was \"obscure\" since not all those accused were
\nproven to be present or responsible for the takeover.<\/p>\n
Judges said none of the witnesses could confirm if Soerjadi
\nhad been at the scene of the takeover on Jl. Diponegoro No. 58.<\/p>\n
However, the judges said the plaintiffs could file an
\nindividual lawsuit or appeal to the higher court.<\/p>\n
A lawsuit was filed by 98 supporters of the toppled PDI leader
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri, against Soerjadi and his cadres including
\nButtu R. Hutapea, Romulus Sihombing, Harsoko Soediro, Yahya Theo
\nand Alex Widia Siregar, and the government comprising the Armed
\nForces Commander, Indonesian Police Chief, City Police Chief and
\nthe Central Jakarta Police Chief.<\/p>\n
The plaintiffs demanded Rp 100 million compensation each and
\nconfiscation of the defendants' property, including their houses.<\/p>\n
They also demanded a public apology from the defendants.<\/p>\n
Megawati was ousted as PDI chief by Soerjadi in an
\nextraordinary congress in June 1996.<\/p>\n
But she brushed aside Soerjadi's claim to the chair as her
\nsupporters retained a strong hold on PDI headquarters on Jl.
\nDiponegoro.<\/p>\n
On July 27, a hostile takeover of the building took place
\nwhich later flared into a riot, claiming at least five lives with
\n23 people still missing.<\/p>\n
The 98 people who filed the suit were among those detained by
\npolice for more than four months following the incident.<\/p>\n
Yesterday's verdict was met with screams of protest from pro-
\nMegawati supporters. Megawati herself was not present.<\/p>\n
Megawati supporters packed the courtroom's gallery and seemed
\nready to lunge toward the judges' stand before one person called
\non his colleagues to remain calm.<\/p>\n
Judges quickly rushed out of the courtroom following their
\nverdict.<\/p>\n
Trimedia Panjaitan, one of the plaintiffs' lawyers, was not
\nsatisfied with the verdict.<\/p>\n
\"Testimonies had clearly revealed that all the defendants,
\nfrom Soerjadi to Alex were present during the incident (yet) it
\nwas not treated as legal consideration,\" he argued.<\/p>\n
Dissatisfied supporters later continued to rally at the
\ncourtyard under the watchful eye of police who had created a
\ntight security cocoon around the courtyard.<\/p>\n
While the crowd were boisterous, no major incidents were
\nreported. (09)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/district-court-rejects-lawsuit-against-soerjadi-1447893297",
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