Police did nothing to stop riot: Witnesses

Police did nothing to stop riot: Witnesses

JAKARTA (JP): Two witnesses told a court yesterday that police
did nothing to stop rioters in the July 27 riot.

Aziz Buang, 64, vice chairman of the Indonesian Democratic
Party's (PDI) Jakarta branch, told the Central Jakarta District
Court he arrived at the riot scene after the first assault on the
party's headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta.

"I saw that police and other security officers did not try to
restraint the angry people from repeating their attack," Aziz
said.

The riot broke out when supporters of Soerjadi, the
officially-backed PDI chairman, took over the party's
headquarters from supporters of Megawati Soekarnoputri, whom he
deposed as leader in a government-sponsored congress in Medan.
Megawati is the eldest daughter of the late President Sukarno.

One hundred and twenty-four Megawati supporters are being
tried for their alleged involvement in the riot. Some of them
were tried in four sessions yesterday.

Aziz, a Megawati supporter, said the Central Jakarta police
chief, Lt. Col. Abubakar Nataprawira, told him at the scene that
the police were not ready for such a melee.

"I never foresaw there would be a clash." Aziz quoted Abubakar
as saying. He said the conversation took place when the two
were discussing how to reach a negotiated solution to the
conflict.

Aziz said the officer told him that if Megawati's supporters
were willing to leave the building he would order Soerjadi's men
to disperse and then the building would not be used until the
rightful occupant had been determined.

He said he told Abubakar that he had no authority to order
those inside the building to come out.

Aziz said he urged the police officer to call Soerjadi to the
scene but Abubakar said it was very difficult to reach the
politician in this situation.

Aziz said he suddenly saw some people with red T-shirts
sneaking into the building.

"I thought the situation was getting dangerous, so I left the
scene," he said.

Aziz said he saw from a distance security officers force their
way into the building, followed by the men in red T-shirts.

A witness told an earlier hearing many people were recruited
to help Soerjadi's group take over the building and given red T-
shirts.

Meanwhile another witness testified in another session
yesterday that he saw one of the attackers stab a person with a
bayonet.

Efendi, 46, the PDI North Jakarta branch's task force chief,
testified he saw ten people injured when stones were thrown.

He said police were only busy talking on walkie-talkies and
did nothing else. (08)