Alleged PDI hired help seek protection
Alleged PDI hired help seek protection
JAKARTA (JP): About half a dozen people allegedly hired to
take over the disputed headquarters of the Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI) went to the National Commission on Human Rights
yesterday to seek protection for themselves and their colleagues.
Their lawyer R.O. Tambunan said the group had been subjected
to intimidation "by certain parties", but did not elaborate. He
said 150 others had been prevented from visiting the Commission
by the intimidating parties.
"We asked the Commission to be on alert and note if some of
these people here suddenly go missing before their lawsuit is
heard," Tambunan said.
Among those who managed to get to the Commission yesterday
were the group's leader, a self-proclaimed "repentant hoodlum"
called Seno Bella Emyus, and his colleagues Andi S.T. and Hasan.
The group charged last month that the government-recognized
PDI leader, Soerjadi, had hired 400 people to forcibly take over
the headquarters from supporters of the ousted PDI leader
Megawati Soekarnoputri.
They claimed that Soerjadi and his colleagues had broken their
promise to pay the group Rp 200 million in cash after the
takeover. They are suing Soerjadi and his camp for Rp 2 billion
(US$486,618) in damages.
They also charged that they had been deceived, claiming that
Soerjadi's cadres had told them that their mission was to
reinforce the Megawati loyalists defending the office, not to
take it over.
The takeover sparked a bloody riot which according to the
National Commission on Human Rights left at least five people
dead and injured 124 others.
Commission Secretary-General Baharuddin Lopa expressed his
concern over the case. He said his organization only handled
cases which had not been taken to court, but promised to study
the group's report.
The hearing of the Megawati loyalists' lawsuit against
Soerjadi, his cadres and Abubakar Nataprawira, the former Central
Jakarta Police Precinct chief, was marked yesterday by a minor
disturbance in the Central Jakarta District Court.
Immediately after presiding judge Abas Somantri closed the
hearing a group of visitors charged at Abubakar's lawyer.
The lawyer, Edward Syahpernong, fled the courtroom. The group,
whose attempt to strike him was foiled by Megawati's lawyers,
shouted repeatedly after the lawyer: "Mega will certainly win."
The 124 Megawati loyalists accused Soerjadi and his
colleagues, including Buttu R. Hutapea, Romulus Sihombing,
Harsoko Sudiro, Yahya Theo and Alex Widya Siregar, of leading and
preparing the raid against the party's headquarters.
The hearing was adjourned until June 19. (05)