Megawati supporters protest office handover

JAKARTA (JP): Supporters of the ousted Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) chairwoman, Megawati Soekarnoputri, protested yesterday the handover of the party's headquarters to the state, saying it would hamper a police probe into the July 27 riots.

Alex Litaay, secretary-general of Megawati's executive board, told a press conference at Megawati's home last night that the handover was illegal because no court had handed down a verdict on the building's status after the riots which left five people dead and 23 reportedly missing.

Central Jakarta Police gave the damaged headquarters to the State Secretariat on Thursday for renovation, which is expected to be completed within two months.

"The handover will obscure evidence concerning the forced takeover of the building (by the government-backed rebel group under Soerjadi)," Alex said.

Megawati was visiting her colleague Aberson Marle Sihaloho, who will stand trial next week for defaming the President, when Alex met the press.

The riots were triggered by a brutal takeover of the building by supporters of Soerjadi, who regained the party's chair after a government-recognized rebel congress in Medan last June.

No Soerjadi supporters were arrested after the riots, but 115 Megawati supporters were tried for resisting a police order.

Alex said the police's decision offended the public's sense of justice: "This clearly proves that the police did not have the courage to professionally investigate the case."

Chief of the Central Jakarta Police, Lt. Col. M. Ibrahim, said earlier that the handover of the PDI headquarters marked the end of investigations into the takeover and subsequent riots.

Alex said the police had disobeyed a recommendation of the National Commission on Human Rights that the building should remain status quo pending a court ruling. (35/amd)