Foreign pressure grows on Indonesia over PDI crackdown

JAKARTA (Agencies): International pressure on Indonesia mounted yesterday over the way the government is handling the aftermath of the July 27 raid on the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters.

The authorities are still holding 133 people as of yesterday in connection with the two-day riots following the takeover of PDI headquarters by government-backed breakaway leader Soerjadi from the democratically-elected Megawati Soekarnoputri.

The United States has threatened unspecified steps and expressed concern over the human rights situation, while a European Union representative here said the community's concern over human rights issues had been expressed "at a high level."

In Oslo, three political parties called for a boycott of aid to Norwegian firms investing in Indonesia, while in London late last week a Foreign Office official called on all parties to exercise restraint, AFP reported.

In Sydney, officials of the financially hard-pressed Australian Labor Party scoffed at claims by the Indonesian military that it had helped fund Indonesia's Democratic People's Party (PRD), accused of inciting the riots.

The military has back-tracked on the allegations, with sociopolitical affairs chief Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid saying Monday that "it was Australian labor organizations, not the (Australian) Labor Party", that is thought to have links with PRD.

PRD leader Budiman Sujatmiko has been accused of slandering President Soeharto at the free-speech forum organized by Megawati at the PDI headquarters in Jakarta in June and July. The former PDI leader has been summoned to the police station as a witness

In Washington late Monday, White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta declined to outline possible steps the United States might take and did not threaten to scrap a planned sale of nine F-16 fighter jets to Indonesia.

But Panetta noted that the United States had protested the crackdown on Megawati's supporters.

In Jakarta, the deputy head of mission at the Dutch embassy, Dick Den Haas, speaking as a European Union representative, said that the community has expressed concern to the Indonesian government over human rights issues relating to the detainees.

"The situation of those arrested caused concern among the members of the European Union," Den Haas said.

In Oslo, three political parties called for a boycott of Norwegian firms, accusing Indonesia of human rights offenses. However, the ruling Labor party and the Conservatives did not support the call.

"This is very embarrassing for Norway. We demand a full stop of the aid to Indonesia," Center Party MP Marit Arnstad said.

According to the left-wing Klassekampen paper, 85 million kroner (US$13.3 million) went to assist Norwegian companies investing in Indonesia last year.

In London on Friday, a Foreign Office spokesman said the Indonesian charge d'affaires had been contacted over the issue.

"We have called on all parties to exercise restraint," the spokesman said.