Rights commission to question govt on July 27 riots<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The National Commission on Human Rights plans to
\nquestion the government about the July 27 riots which occurred in
\nJakarta last year, following official statements that proclaimed
\nthe case was closed.<\/p>\n
Commission deputy chairman Marzuki Darusman said yesterday
\nthat the topic would be raised during the periodic meeting the
\ncommission holds with Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs
\nand Security Soesilo Soedarman.<\/p>\n
The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 20.<\/p>\n
The commission would like to know the government's position on
\nthe July 27 affair, Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
The government was sending conflicting messages, saying on one
\noccasion that the majority of problems had been resolved, but on
\nanother, giving the impression they were still pursuing the
\nmatter, he said.<\/p>\n
Soesilo said last week that the controversy over the July 27
\nriots should end, while Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M.
\nsaid the case was closed.<\/p>\n
Marzuki pointed out, however, that a letter from
\nMinister\/State Secretary Moerdiono to the commission did not give
\nthe impression the government considered the case closed.<\/p>\n
The commission in October published a report on its findings
\non the July 27 affair and its background. It ascertained that
\nfive people were killed, 149 were injured and 23 were missing.<\/p>\n
Marzuki said yesterday that seven of the missing people have
\nsince been accounted for, bringing the number of missing people
\nto 16.<\/p>\n
He called for greater government efforts to prevent a
\nrepetition of incidents in which people vanish and are never
\naccounted for.<\/p>\n
The commission in its October report criticized the government
\nfor meddling in the internal affairs of the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty (PDI), and said this contributed to the riots.<\/p>\n
The July 27 riots were triggered by the forced takeover of
\nPDI's headquarters, which was occupied by supporters of Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, by people claiming to be supporters of Soerjadi.<\/p>\n
The minority party split into two camps following a
\ngovernment-backed congress in Medan, North Sumatra, in June last
\nyear which removed Megawati and installed Soerjadi as chairman.<\/p>\n
Megawati has since sued Soerjadi and the government, demanding
\nthe court to annul the congress and all its decisions.<\/p>\n
Marzuki said he also intended to question Soesilo over his
\nstatement last week that media should stop referring to
\n"Megawati's faction" as opposed to "Soerjadi's faction" because
\nthis was confusing the public. (05)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rights-commission-to-question-govt-on-july-27-riots-1447893297",
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