PDI-P demands probe into May riots

PDI-P demands probe into May riots

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta

After years of silence, the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI-P) demanded on Friday a thorough investigation into
the May 1998 tragedy.

Panda Nababan, secretary of the PDI-P faction at the House of
Representatives, told The Jakarta Post here his faction was
lobbying other parties in the House to include the issue in the
next plenary session.

"The House must clarify what the conclusions were of its 2001
investigation into the shooting of the (four) Trisakti
(University) students on May 12, 1998 and the riots on the
following days," he said.

Panda chaired a special committee assigned to probe the
incidents, which concluded that no gross human rights violations
had occurred in the tragedy. This conclusion has so far thwarted
any efforts to set up a rights tribunal for alleged perpetrators
of the crimes.

The committee's verdict goes against the results of an
investigation by a joint fact-finding team (TGPF) headed by the
National Commission on Human Rights, which declared serious
crimes against humanity took place in the tragedy.

But Panda insisted his special committee had conducted a
preliminary inquiry only, which should not prevent either the
rights body or the Attorney General's Office from carrying out
their own investigation.

"The PDI-P has officially called for our party leader,
President Megawati Soekarnoputri to ask the Attorney General's
Office to follow up the TGPF investigation," he said.

He conceded the PDI-P would face many difficulties and
political resistance from certain parties in pursuing the case,
particularly from the Golkar Party, whose presidential candidate
Gen. (ret) Wiranto has been linked to the tragedy.

The rights body's investigation team was unable to summon some
20 military and police officers, including Wiranto and former
Jakarta military commander Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, for
questioning in connection with the incidents after they refused
to aid the investigation.

More than 1,000 people were killed and over 60 women, mostly
Chinese Indonesians, were raped when hundreds of malls, shopping
centers and public offices in Jakarta were burned down during the
riots, which spread to other major cities in Java and Sumatra.

Firman Djaya Daely, another PDI-P legislator, said his party
expected international pressure to mount on the government to
investigate those held accountable for the tragedy.

He acknowledged his faction was concerned about the possible
revival of the New Order, which could bury all human rights and
corruption cases allegedly involving past government and military
officials.

PDI-P was eclipsed by Golkar in this year's legislative
election and could suffer a double loss if Wiranto wins the first
direct presidential election on July 5.

However, Indra J. Piliang, a political analyst of the Centre
for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said human rights
issues, including the 1999 East Timor mayhem, would not pose a
serious threat to Wiranto's presidential bid because the issues
were popular only in urban areas, while the majority of his
supporters lived in rural areas.

"Human rights issues will not affect Wiranto's reputation
ahead of the presidential election, which has seen mounting
demands for succession in national leadership," he said. "Only
students reject presidential candidates with a military
backgrounds."