Komnas HAM eyeing '96 PDI HQ attack

Komnas HAM eyeing '96 PDI HQ attack

JAKARTA (JP): The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas
HAM) chairman, Djoko Soegianto, pledged on Wednesday to form a
team to investigate the notorious July 27, 1996, attack on the
headquarters of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

"We are considering setting up an investigation into the
incident," Djoko said after a hearing with the House of
Representatives Commission I for defense, foreign and political
affairs.

Djoko's remark came in response to comments from National
Awakening Party (PKB) legislator A. Effendy Choirie who demanded
the commission investigate past incidents which allegedly
involved military generals, including the incident at PDI
headquarters.

Effendy urged the commission to question several retired
military officers, including former chief of the Indonesian
Military (TNI) Gen. (ret) Feisal Tandjung and former TNI chief of
social and political affairs Syarwan Hamid, who were allegedly
behind the incident.

Commission members Albert Hasibuan supported the idea of
forming an investigation team and the questioning of the these
officers.

"They (Feisal and Syarwan) should be questioned about it,"
Albert, who also led the government-sanctioned Commission of
Inquiry into Human Rights Violations (KPP HAM) in East Timor,
said.

Asked whether the team would be independent since the case
related to a particular political party, Albert said he was sure
it would be independent.

"The team would consist of independent members. We would
investigate human rights and legal violations." he added.

The 1996 incident sparked a riot which hit a central area of
Jakarta. While there have been ongoing claims that many died in
the initial attack, there has never been any thorough evidence to
support the contention that over 100 were killed in the attack on
PDI headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta.

President Abdurrahman accused Feisal on Tuesday of being
responsible for the takeover of the PDI office.

Besides the incident, the President also accused Feisal of
helping engineer an attempt to unseat Abdurrahman from his post
as chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Muslim organization during its
1994 congress, in Cipasung, Tasikmalaya, West Java.

Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
legislator Jacob Tobing said the party central board was now
setting up a separate investigation team to collect more data
about the incident.

"It's not revenge. It's just to disclose the truth," Jacob
said on the sidelines of the hearing. (jun)