Search for missing PDI activists sought

JAKARTA (JP): Activists urged the National Commission on Human Rights yesterday to press the government to find the 23 people allegedly still missing from last year's riots in the capital.

About 20 activists of the Communication Forum for Eastern Indonesian Youths, told the commission they were dismayed there had been no sign that the government would follow up the commission's recommendations.

"The commission should tell the government not to disregard this case because it concerns human lives," Naur Karepesina, who chairs the forum, told commission's secretary-general Baharrudin Lopa and member Soegiri.

Naur said the forum wanted to make sure four of their fellows -- Beethoven, Carolus, Heri Worotika, and Martin Paat -- who were among the 23 reported missing by the commission, were found.

The four, all eastern Indonesian youths supporting the Indonesian Democratic Party's (PDI) leadership under Megawati Soekarnoputri, disappeared from the PDI headquarters during a clash between Megawati's supporters and those of government- backed Soerjadi's on July 27 last year.

In its findings published in October, the commission criticized the government for meddling in the PDI's internal affairs, and said this had contributed to the riots that left five people dead and the 23 missing.

Fragments of bullets were found in the body of one of the five killed, the commission said. This conflicted with the military's assertion that not a single bullet had been fired in containing the unrest.

The commission also said members of the security forces were involved in the violent takeover of the PDI headquarters, the incident that snowballed into the full-scale riots.

The commission urged the government to investigate all the perpetrators, including new PDI chairman Soerjadi, who had ordered the take over of the headquarters.

Critics have accused the government of favoring Soerjadi in the handling of the aftermath of the July riots. Over 100 Megawati supporters have been prosecuted but no action has been taken against the hundreds of Soerjadi supporters who attacked the party office.

In response to the youths' demand, Lopa said the commission had asked the government some time ago about the progress of the follow-up of its recommendations.

Lopa said according to a statement made by Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono at the commissions last meeting with the government in December, "the findings are still being seriously studied by President Soeharto himself".

"Just be patient and let's just wait and see how the government will follow up the commission's findings," he said.

At the end of their meeting with the commission, the youths expressed their hope the commission would not yield to pressure from "a third party" and would keep providing "shelter" to all people seeking justice. (08)