Susilo linked to the July 27 tragedy

Susilo linked to the July 27 tragedy

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Semarang/Yogyakarta

While President Megawati Soekarnoputri again distanced herself
from the tragedy of July 27, 1996 -- which identified her as then
president Soeharto's political victim -- the eighth commemoration
of the incident on Tuesday was marked by an attempt to link her
opponent in the election, Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, to
the tragedy.

Megawati opted to open the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC) transportation meeting in Bali on Tuesday. Her husband
Taufik Kiemas and daughter Puan Maharani sent bouquets of flowers
to be placed in front of the former office of the Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI) on Jl. Diponegoro in Central Jakarta.

Dozens of people chanted antimilitary slogans there: "Bring
the perpetrators to court. Several generals were responsible for
the violence. Bring Sutiyoso and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to
court," they said.

Lt. Gen. (ret) Sutiyoso, the incumbent Jakarta governor, was
then Jakarta Military commander, and then Brig. Gen. Susilo was
his chief of staff, when Soeharto ordered the military to
disperse a gathering of Megawati's supporters at the office.
Soeharto ousted Megawati in June 1996 as PDI leader, fearing that
she posed a threat to his government.

Her supporters guarded the office to prevent the government
from taking it over. Five people were killed and 23 others went
missing when a military-backed group launched the attack.
Soeharto later appointed Sutiyoso as Jakarta governor, apparently
in appreciation of his success in dispersing Megawati's
supporters.

According to Tempo news weekly, in its latest edition, Susilo
suspects that his name was linked to the tragedy to serve the
interests of "those at the center of power". "There was no
warning, yet, suddenly it surfaced like that," he said.

After almost two years with no significant progress, the
Attorney General's Office recently pledged to pursue the case.
Suspicions have arisen over the motives and timing of the renewed
commitment to investigate the case, as the reemergence of the
case could damage Susilo's bid for the presidency.

The official investigation team has declared 22 people as
suspects, 10 are from the military, including Sutiyoso.

Megawati's aides, however, deny the allegation. According to
them, "it would only backfire" if Megawati's camp attempted to
blame the general for the incident.

Meanwhile, the police refused the request of a small group of
youths to enter the commemoration venue, to avoid a possible
clash with Megawati's supporters. Apart from condemning the
military for the incident, they also shouted that "Megawati
should be responsible for the violence."

Megawati has shown little interest in the tragedy. She even
strongly supported the reelection of Sutiyoso as governor in
2001.

Meanwhile, in Yogyakarta, dozens of Megawati's supporters
gathered at Parangkusumo beach and threw military boots and
traditional Javanese puppets to the water to symbolize the
struggle against military power.

"I wish Ibu Megawati would be more serious in looking back
over the bloody incident -- no matter if that implicated several
influential figures here," coordinator of the event, Cindelaras
Dwi Yulianto, said.

In Semarang, students of the Anti-repressive Forum held a
peaceful rally, distributing flowers and antimilitarism messages
to passersby.