Legislators face probe over PDI-P attack

Legislators face probe over PDI-P attack

PALU, Central Sulawesi: Police have vowed to summon three
councillors for questioning over allegations they attacked
demonstrators during an antigovernment rally in Palu, Central
Sulawesi.

Adj. Sr. Comr. Ricky F. Wakanno, chief of detectives at the
Central Sulawesi Police, made the promise after about 1,000
protesters gathered at his office on Monday to demand the arrest
of the three Indonesian Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
councillors: Sjafrun Abdullah, Muharram Nurdin and Burhan
Lamangkona.

"Today (Monday) we will submit a form asking the Central
Sulawesi governor for permission to summon the three
legislators," Ricky told the demonstrators, members of the Forum
for the Poor.

The protesters complained that some of their colleagues had
been detained over the attack on Jan. 15, but that the police
allowed the three councillors to remain free.

Ricky said the police had received a complaint from a man
identified as Risnandar, who claimed that he was beaten by Burhan
Lamangkona during the antigovernment protest on Jan. 15.

The beating is believed to have sparked the attack on the PDI
Perjuangan headquarters.

The demonstrators on Monday also demanded that President
Megawati Soekarnoputri resign over the steep increases in
electricity rates and fuel prices.

Taking part in the protest were three well-known figures,
Urban Poor Consortium coordinator Wardah Hafidz, political
analyst George Aditjondro and lawyer Jhonson Panjaitan. --JP