Rallies held to mark anniversary of attack on PDI HQs<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): One overriding theme, namely the bringing of
\nformer president Soeharto to justice, marked the fourth
\nanniversary of the July 27 violent takeover of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI) headquarters nationwide on Thursday.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, some 600 people joined a rally from the abandoned
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro
\nto Jl. Teuku Umar and then on to the Jakarta office of Golkar
\nParty near the Cikini railway station, all in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
"Arrest and bring the masterminds of the July 27 tragedy to
\ncourt ... rehabilitate the victims," an activist of the
\nCommunication Forum for Relatives of the July 27, 1996 Victims
\nyelled.<\/p>\n
Initially, the rally participants laid a wreath in front of
\nthe PDI headquarters before they headed to Jl. Cendana, where
\nformer president Soeharto resides. They, however, were blocked by
\na cordon of police personnel and were directed to nearby Jl.
\nTeuku Umar.<\/p>\n
Speeches and banners marked the rally on Thursday. The rally
\nalso saw a street play on former president Soeharto's 32-year
\nreign, poetry reading and dance performances.<\/p>\n
The July 1996 attack on PDI headquarters triggered mass unrest
\nthroughout the Central Jakarta area on the same day, leaving at
\nleast five people dead and 149 injured. Twenty-three others are
\nreportedly still missing.<\/p>\n
The police's investigation has named 11 civilians as suspects
\nin the 1996 attack, including former PDI chairman Soerjadi and
\nformer secretary-general Buttu R. Hutapea.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the military investigation into several Indonesian
\nMilitary (TNI) generals' alleged involvement in the attack is
\nongoing.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, around 100 activists of the Committee for the
\nPeople's Struggle for Democracy (Koperdam), staged similar
\nprotests along popular street Jl. Malioboro.<\/p>\n
They were attacked by unidentified people while staging their
\nprotest, leaving at least 11 of the protesters injured.<\/p>\n
The protesters were on their way to Yogyakarta City Hall, when
\nsuddenly a group of armed men riding on a jeep and four
\nmotorbikes attacked them from behind.<\/p>\n
"We were terrified as the group suddenly set upon us with
\nwooden sticks and iron bars," said a protester who asked not to
\nbe named, while adding that some of the attackers were seen
\ntalking to police officers shortly before the assault.<\/p>\n
"I wonder why the police did nothing to prevent the armed
\ngroup from attacking us," he said.<\/p>\n
The group identified the attackers' vehicle as a white Jeep
\nWillis with registration number AB 7819 HA.<\/p>\n
The motives behind the attack were still unclear, and the
\nprotesters eventually dispersed soon after the attack.<\/p>\n
The group said in their statement that they demanded the
\ngovernment prioritize the handling of human rights' abuse cases
\nand the liquidation of the Golkar Party.<\/p>\n
Before the attack, the protesters also burned Golkar flags.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, about 500 PDI Perjuangan supporters, grouped in
\nthe Anti-New Order People's Alliance (Arab), marched along main
\nstreets in the city, including Jl. Tentara Pelajar, Jl. Mataram,
\nJl. Ahmad Yani and the Simpang Lima traffic circle before they
\nended up in the grounds fronting the Central Java Provincial
\nLegislature and the Central Java Police Headquarters building on
\nJl. Pahlawan.<\/p>\n
In front of the police headquarters, about 50 PDI Perjuangan
\ncadres presented an oration demanding that the authorities
\nuncover the perpetrators of the 1996 hostile take over.<\/p>\n
"We also demand that the government rehabilitate the status
\nand reputations of the victims in the July 27 incident," Gin
\nDahono, the group coordinator, said.<\/p>\n
In Makassar, South Sulawesi, 100 students from various
\nuniversities here marked the day by staging protests in front of
\nthe Council Building, demanding that former president Soeharto be
\nheld responsible for his past wrongdoings and blatant human right
\nviolations.<\/p>\n
"Soeharto was the pivot around which all kinds of abuses
\nrevolved during the New Order era. It is lamentable that
\nPresident Abdurrahman's administration has failed to bring the
\nreal culprits in the July 27 incident to trial," Heince Ivan, the
\ngroup leader, said. (07\/27\/44\/har\/edt)<\/p>",
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