Soerjadi arrested over 1996 case
JAKARTA (JP): Former Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) chairman Soerjadi was arrested by police on Tuesday following a marathon questioning over his alleged role in the riots sparked by a forcible takeover of the party's office in 1996.
The National Police Headquarters issued a warrant for the arrest of the Supreme Advisory Council member at about 9 p.m., after 10 hours of interrogation.
The deputy chief of general crimes, Col. Makbul Padmanegara, confirmed the arrest. Soerjadi is now in the custody of the National Police, and joins the party's former secretary-general Buttu Hutapea and deputy chairman Alex Widya Siregar.
Soerjadi, who has been named a suspect in the incident, was quoted by his lawyer Parlin Sitorus as telling police detectives that he hosted a meeting with some officials of the Armed Forces and Ministry of Home Affairs at a hotel in South Jakarta two days before the July 27 bloodshed.
Among the attendants of the meeting were the then Armed Forces chief of Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid and former director general of Sociopolitical Affairs Soetoyo N.K.
But Parlin played down the importance of the meeting.
"It was aimed at finding a solution to the party's internal split and discussing measures that may help the party prepare for the upcoming general election," Parlin said.
The meeting followed a breakaway government-backed congress in Medan, North Sumatra, earlier in June 1996 which reelected Soerjadi as the party's chairman. The party had earlier appointed Megawati Soekarnoputri as the chairwoman.
Parlin said it was common practice among political parties to report to the military chief, the home affairs minister and the president about the results of a congress.
The questioning of Soerjadi was enabled following the approval of President Abdurrahman Wahid. According to Indonesian law, interrogation of state officials requires the head of state's permission.
Party supporters who claimed to be loyal to Soerjadi took over the party's office on Jl. Diponegoro in Central Jakarta, which at that time was occupied by pro-Megawati activists. Many believed elements in the former Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI) were reportedly involved in the attack.
The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) announced in September 1996 that five people died, 149 were injured and 23 were still missing during the riots.
Legal attempts were sought by Megawati, but to no avail.
Shortly after police reopened the investigation in February, 13 people were named suspects. (01)