Abdurrahman approves questioning of generals

Abdurrahman approves questioning of generals

JAKARTA (JP): The President has issued an approval for
a joint Indonesian Military/National Police investigative team to
question several high-ranking military officers allegedly
involved in the 1996 attack on the Indonesian Democratic Party
(PDI) headquarters, a senior officer said on Friday.

"We have received the President's written permission to
question the generals," Maj. Gen. Djasrie Marin, deputy chairman
of the team, announced after the team's meeting at the National
Police Headquarters in South Jakarta.

"The permission was dated July 26, 2000," he said. The attack
on the PDI headquarters happened on July 27, 1996.

Djasrie, who is also chief of the National Military Police
Headquarters, said the team would question several retired
generals who were allegedly involved in the July 1996 attack,
including Lt. Gen. (ret) Sutiyoso, the incumbent governor of
Jakarta, and Lt. Gen. (ret) Syarwan Hamid, the former Armed
Forces (ABRI) chief of sociopolitical affairs.

"We'll question Let. Gen. (ret) Sutiyoso and Lt. Gen. (ret)
Syarwan Hamid as witnesses. But we haven't set a schedule for the
questioning yet," he said. He declined to disclose the other
generals and their legal status.

Before the establishment of the team early this year, a
similar investigation of several civilians and military and
police officers was conducted by the National Police
Headquarters.

The results of the police investigation have named 13 people
as suspects, including former PDI chairman Soerjadi, secretary-
general Buttu R. Hutapea and youth leader Yorrys Th. Raweyai.

The military and police officers who were questioned by the
police investigators included former ABRI chief Gen. (ret) Feisal
Tanjung, Syarwan, Sutiyoso, former ABRI chief of general affairs
Lt. Gen. (ret) Soeyono and former ABRI chief of the intelligence
body Maj. Gen. (ret) Samsir Siregar.

Djasrie said the joint team would not be quick to label the
generals as suspects.

"We are focusing on efforts to gather information from all
parties related to the case.

"We don't want to name them as suspects, when in fact they
were not involved in the attack," the two-star general said.

"When we get all the evidence and testimonies, we'll consider
mentioning names."

Excluding generals, Djasri said, there were many other
witnesses to be summoned for questioning.

"We still have many other people to question, including
civilians, military and police personnel.

"In an effort to accelerate the investigation, the
interrogators will not be burdened with other things except to
focus on the case," he said.

A group of supporters of PDI's splinter faction, reportedly
backed by elements in ABRI, raided and took over the party
headquarters from the loyalists of ousted PDI leader Megawati
Soekarnoputri.

The attack triggered mass unrest throughout the Central
Jakarta area, killing at least five people and injuring 49
others. Meanwhile, 23 other people are reportedly still missing.
(asa)