Dibyo denies attending meeting at Cendana
JAKARTA (JP): Former National Police chief Gen. (ret) Dibyo Widodo denied on Wednesday that he attended a meeting at Soeharto's house where the former president ordered several top officials from the military and the police to retake the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters on July 27, 1997.
Dibyo's denial was given by his lawyer O.C. Kaligis after the retired four-star police general was questioned for seven hours by a joint military-police investigation team at the National Military Police Headquarters (Puspom).
"Pak Dibyo did not attend the meeting as mentioned earlier by Sutiyoso," Kaligis said, referring to the incumbent Governor of Jakarta who is also the former chief of the City Military Command.
After being questioned by the same team on Monday last week, Sutiyoso told reporters that ABRI (the former name of the Indonesian Armed Forces) officers took initiatives to stop a free speech forum at the headquarters after Soeharto gave an implicit order to do so during a meeting at the latter's residence on Jl. Cendana on July 19 of that year.
The meeting, Sutiyoso said, was attended by himself, Dibyo, then Indonesian Military chief Gen. (ret) Feisal Tanjung, then Army Chief of Staff Gen. (ret) Hartono, then ABRI Chief of General Affairs Soeyono, then Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Hamami Nata, then minister of home affairs Yogie SM, and then Armed Forces (ABRI) chief of sociopolitical affairs Lt. Gen. (ret) Syarwan Hamid.
The operation led to a violent attack on the headquarters of the PDI, which was at the time under the leadership of Megawati Soekarnoputri, who is now Vice President.
The building on Jl. Diponegoro in Central Jakarta was used by the party's executives and supporters to stage free speech forums against Soeharto's government.
The attack which also involved supporters of a PDI splinter group, led by Soerjadi, left five dead -- according to the official record -- with 23 others reportedly still missing.
The attack triggered massive unrest in the Menteng area near the party headquarters.
When asked by reporters to comment on Sutiyoso's remark about his presence at Cendana, Dibyo briefly said: "Ask Pak Sutiyoso."
Dibyo also refused to further explain the presence of Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel at the headquarters when the incident occurred.
"Brimob personnel were there because they were commanded to go there," Dibyo said, but refused to mention who had given the command.
"Ask Hamami Nata," Dibyo said and rushed into his car.
On Sept. 4, Col. Hendardji, Director of Investigation at the Military Police Headquarters, said that elements of Brimob were allegedly involved in the attack. (jaw)