Search for missing PDI activists sought
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)