Hawker recruited to participate in takeover
JAKARTA (JP): A hawker told the Central Jakarta District Court yesterday that he was recruited by a mysterious man to take part in the move by the supporters of Soerjadi, the officially recognized chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), to take over the party's headquarters from his rival group in July.
Dedy Suntani bin Amay Sukatma, 23, taking the witness stand in the trial of supporters of Megawati Soekarnoputri, the ousted PDI chairwoman, testified that by chance on July 26 he met a man called Pak Tanjung at his supplier's shop in North Jakarta, who offered him a job as a guard.
Dedy said the mustachioed and sturdy man with a short haircut later recruited him and other people to participate in the takeover of PDI's headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro in Central Jakarta. It later turned into a bloody riot.
Dedy said on the eve of July 27, he was picked by Pak Tanjung and taken to a three-story building, the exact location of which he did not know.
"I saw a lot of people there. We were all provided with food and cigarettes."
At five o'clock in the morning, he said, they were woken up and briefed about the operation.
"We were provided with red T-shirts bearing the inscription Soerjadi's Supporter", red headbands and wooden clubs, " he said.
He said he was neither a supporter of Soerjadi nor a member of PDI.
According to Dedy, there were altogether 10 truckloads of people recruited by Pak Tanjung.
During the operation, which later turned into a riot, Dedy did not attack any people because he was in charge of carrying a fire extinguisher.
"My right cheek was suddenly hit by a stone, but I did not know who had thrown it at me," Dedy said.
He said a police officer gave him Rp 30,000 (US$13) to get medical treatment at Mohammad Ridwan Army Hospital on Jl. Kramat Raya, about one mile from the scene.
During Wednesday's court session trying another group of Megawati's supporters, Dedy admitted that he was paid Rp 5,000 for participating in the takeover operation. (16)