Commemoration of July 27 incident, Mega not present

Commemoration of July 27 incident, Mega not present

JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of supporters of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) commemorated the
July 27 tragedy on Friday, despite the absence of party
chairperson and President Megawati Soekarnoputri or other senior
party members.

Munir, of the National Commission for Missing Persons and
Victims of Violence, described the commemoration as a barometer
of Megawati's and her aides' concern in resolving the alleged
human rights abuses in relation to the incident.

"The July 27th incident should be viewed as one of the
country's political monuments, or a state crime committed by the
past regime, so therefore, the current administration should
correct it. But now, the supporters are left alone leaderless."

"Today's event only shows that Megawati and the party's top
members want to avoid accountability towards their own supporters
who are victims of the bloody incident," he told The Jakarta Post
on Friday afternoon.

Munir urged Megawati to cope with her party's fundamental
problem of always relying on the military's support, as if the
force remained a key political factor in the country.

"She should firmly take a stance regarding July 27, whatever
the Indonesia Military (TNI)'s response will be, or she will
always have to make compromises. Her administration will not run
smoothly then," he added.

Munir reminded Megawati that her ascent to the presidency was
in large part due to the faithful support of the grassroots
masses, and not the People's Consultative Assembly or TNI.

The commemoration on Friday began with the strewing of flowers
at the former PDI headquarters on Jl Diponegoro, Central Jakarta.

They also spread out banners on which were written, among
other things, "Dissolve the Golkar Party" and "Hold a Complete
Investigation into the July 27 Incident".

The historic incident in 1996 marked a turning point for
Megawati and her party.

On that day Megawati's supporters, who had remained inside the
headquarters, were attacked by a counter group that supported the
leadership of Soerjadi.

Activists alleged the attack was supported by elements of
former Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI), now TNI. The attack later
triggered massive unrest in the area.

"We urge the new government to investigate the incident
solemnly by holding a fair trial against those who are involved
in it," Agus Siswantoro of the July, 27, 1996 Youth Movement (GP
27 July 1996) said, as he read out a seven-point statement.

Other groups that gathered for the commemoration were the
Victims of July 27 incident, United Indonesian Front, People's
Struggle Alliance, and the Committee of Downtrodden People.

The statement also demanded the government dissolve the Golkar
party.

"We also denounce and reject any compromise held by the
executive, legislative, and judiciary, with the remnants of the
New Order," Agus said.

"Should Megawati fail to investigate the July incident by
putting it before an ad hoc investigation, all of her party's
supporters may leave her," Agus claimed.

Several PDI-P supporters also regretted Megawati's decision to
accept the presidency, as they felt it was only part of a plot by
Golkar and TNI/National Police.

"Megawati is again becoming a toy of the New Order elements,
Golkar and the military," they said. (tso/bby)