Govt serious on revealing truth about July riots

JAKARTA (JP): Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Soesilo Soedarman said yesterday the government was serious about revealing the truth behind the July 27 riots.

The riots rocked Jakarta following the violent takeover of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters by a government- backed breakaway faction that evicted supporters of ousted party chief Megawati Soekarnoputri.

"President Soeharto has endorsed the police and government investigators to question Soerjadi (the new PDI chairman)," Soesilo said, trying to prove the government's seriousness.

Soesilo made the remarks after a bi-monthly meeting with members of the National Commission on Human Rights.

Critics have accused the government of being biased in favor of Soerjadi in the handling of the aftermath of the riots. Over 100 Megawati supporters have been prosecuted. But no action has been taken against the hundreds of Soerjadi supporters who attacked the party office.

Soesilo called on the public to remain calm when asked what the government would do to follow up the rights commission's recommendations on the matter.

The case was being handled by the police and the Attorney General's Office, he said.

In its report published in October, the commission criticized the government for meddling in the internal affairs of the PDI, and said this had contributed to the riots that left five people dead and 23 people missing.

Fragments of bullets were found in the body of one of the five killed, the commission said. This was in contrast with the military's assertions that not a single bullet was fired in containing the unrest.

The commission also said members of the security forces were involved in the violent takeover of the PDI headquarters, the incident that snowballed into a full-scale riot.

The commission urged the government to investigate all of the perpetrators, including new PDI chairman Soerjadi, who had ordered the take over of the headquarters.

When asked why Soerjadi would only be questioned as a witness, when other witnesses had indicated his involvement in the takeover, Soesilo said the decision would rest with the police.

"You should ask the police," he said.

Asked whether he would question National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Dibyo Widodo over the rights commission's recommendations, Soesilo said that would be the responsibility of the Armed Forces' Chief.

Chief of the Jakarta City Police Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata said earlier this month that according to police investigations the PDI chairman was not involved in the July riots.

"There is not enough evidence to put Soerjadi in as a suspect in the July 27 riots," Hamami said. (imn)