Govt told July 27 probe must continue

JAKARTA: The government has no choice but to continue the investigation into the July 27, 1996 incident in a bid to reveal the truth, a non-governmental organization said.

Ifdhal Kasim of ELSAM, a non governmental organization on public policies, said on Wednesday the government had no right to postpone the investigation into the incident.

"It must be settled for the sake of the nation. All officials involved should face justice, so that the victims and their families would feel vindicated and the nation find the truth," he said.

Riots shook Jakarta on that day following a military-backed takeover of the Indonesia Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro in Central Jakarta.

Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso, who was the Jakarta military commander when the incident took place, is among the suspects in the case. -- JP