Rights body told to prove its findings

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto challenged the Commission on Human Rights yesterday to prove its report that up to 74 people were missing after the July 27 riots.

"The number of people missing that the commission reported was enormous. The government is very surprised," the President was quoted as saying by Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono.

Moerdiono said President Soeharto asked that the commission support its findings, on both deaths and disappearances, with evidence that "makes sense," such as names, addresses and when they disappeared.

The government has said that only four people died and 28 were injured in the incident. It has never made mention of people missing after the day-long rioting, which caused a material loss of over Rp 200 billion (US$85 million).

"The incredibly big difference (between the government and the commission's figures) can spur misunderstanding among the people and it's 'unhealthy' for the resolution of questions related to the July 27 affair," Moerdiono said.

Takeover

The riots were triggered by the violent takeover of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters by supporters of new party leader Soerjadi, who was elected in a government- sanctioned congress in Medan in June.

Ousted PDI leader Megawati Soekarnoputri's supporters, who lost the headquarters to their rivals under Soerjadi, have claimed that the number of people unaccounted for reached 154.

Commission members said last week the findings were provisional and they would continue to receive input from the public until they announce the final version in a week or two.

They said their main sources were documented data at hospitals that they cross-checked with witnesses' accounts. The commission provisionally released the findings in response to a flood of public inquiries.

Moerdiono said the government appreciated the commission's findings, so long as it is able to prove its credibility. He pledged that the government would not interfere in its affairs.

He also reminded the commission that it obtained its funding from the government, which also provided it with an office.

On Aug. 29, commission activists met with senior government and military officials, including Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Soesilo Soedarman and Armed Forces Chief for Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid. The officials asked the commission to release findings that would clear up the issue.

On a separate occasion, commission member Bambang Soeharto reiterated that the findings were provisional and open for revision based on credible input from witnesses.

"We have no intention to invent stories," said Bambang, who is in charge of preparing the report on the commission's findings.

He said the commission aims at helping the public obtain a more credible picture of what happened on July 27.

"We believe there wasn't a single bullet fired by the authorities ... We released the findings to help soothe the public, who were worried," he said. "We do not say that everyone of those reported missing by their families had a connection with the riots." (pan)