Soeyono may countersue Syarwan over July 27 riots

JAKARTA (JP): The secretary-general of the Ministry of Defense and Security, Lt. Gen. Soeyono, retaliated yesterday to Minister of Home Affairs Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid's plan to sue him over his recent press statement by threatening to file a counter lawsuit.

"I think I will countersue if he sues me over my press statement," Soeyono said at the defense ministry on Jl. Merdeka Barat in Central Jakarta.

"I was the 'victim' of the July 27 riots. I was grounded by the Armed Forces headquarters a few days after the riots broke out two years ago," he said.

Soeyono said last week that the July 27, 1996 forcible takeover of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters -- which led to massive and fatal rioting -- was preceded by a "sociopolitical operation" organized by the Armed Forces headquarters.

Soeyono defined the operation as a campaign to back a splinter group's congress in June 1996 in Medan, which replaced Megawati Soekarnoputri with Soerjadi as PDI chairperson.

Syarwan, who was then the Armed Forces (ABRI) chief of sociopolitical affairs, took offense and said he would sue Soeyono.

Yesterday, Soeyono explained that there had been no "military operation" by the ABRI headquarters to take over the PDI office. This, he said, had been the responsibility of the Jakarta Military Command.

"It was a local-level military operation, not a national-level one," he added.

He disclaimed any knowledge as to whether there had been disagreement among ABRI senior officials before the decision to force Megawati's loyalists out of the party office.

"I was on leave at the time. Moreover, the responsibility has been leveled at the Jakarta Military Command," he said.

Syarwan was not available for comment yesterday as he was on a three-day visit to his hometown in Riau.

Soeyono graduated from the Armed Forces Academy in 1965, one year before Syarwan graduated from the same academy.

In a related development, National Police spokesman Maj. Gen. Da'i Bachtiar confirmed yesterday that Syarwan had lodged complaints against several local mass media for their reports on his alleged involvement in the takeover.

"They were submitted today, but they are still being studied by the National Police chief so I cannot give you any details," he said.

"Remember, we have to stick to the presumption of innocence," he said.

Attorney General Andi M. Ghalib said yesterday his office was ready to assist any state officials who took offense or suffered losses from certain media reports.

Speaking to reporters after installing 11 subordinates, Ghalib said his office would provide assistance for any officials who needed legal help.

"State officials need to be protected because they work for the interests, the safety and welfare of the people, not for their own interests," Ghalib said.

"If they are offended (by the media), they have the right to legal assistance."

"Of course we will help them because they too have the right to defend themselves," he said.

The Attorney General's Office has appointed one of its prosecutors, Rusjdi Taher, to help Syarwan in his legal battle. (imn/edt/prb)