Soeyono may countersue Syarwan over July 27 riots

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)