NGOs vs. Sutiyoso on Mondays, Thursdays

JAKARTA: Several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) plan to hold rallies on Mondays and Thursdays, demanding the dismissal of Governor Sutiyoso. The protests will reach a peak on Aug. 25 when 75 new city councillors will be sworn in. Around 1,000 people are expected to participate in the Aug. 25 rally.

During Monday's rally in front of the City Council building, protesters walked on stilts, wearing masks that looked like Sutiyoso's face.

Berkah Gamulya of the Urban Poor Consortium (UPC) said the NGOs would continue their action should the new councillors fail to address their demand two weeks after their installation.

The police reopened the July 27 case early in June and named Sutiyoso as one of 12 suspects. They submitted the governor's case file to the Attorney General's Office along with the files of the 11 other suspects, but the office returned them and asked the police to submit Sutiyoso's file separately.

Sutiyoso was Jakarta military commander when the attack on the PDI office took place. Official reports said five people were killed, while 149 others were injured and 23 went missing in the attack. -- JP