Sutiyoso claims peacefully deal on July 27 attack

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Governor Sutiyoso claimed on Monday that the Indonesia Military (TNI) had settled its dispute with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle over a bloody attack on the party's headquarters on July 27, 1996.

"The Islah (peace deal) happened a long time ago. It was handled by (party) chairwoman (Megawati Soekarnoputri)," Sutiyoso, who was the Jakarta Military commander when the attack occurred, announced.

He admitted that the legal process of the July 27 case should continue.

"But the peace deal can be considered in (the legal process)," the retired Army lieutenant general said.

Sutiyoso and several military officers have been named suspects for their alleged involvement in the attack, which claimed at least five lives and was followed by rioting in areas around the headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta.

Besides naming Sutiyoso, the police have also named then Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI) sociopolitical affairs chief Lt. Gen. (ret) Syarwan Hamid and then Armed Forces Intelligence Body (BIA) chief Maj. Gen. Zacky Anwar Makarim as suspects in the attack.

Despite Sutiyoso's alleged involvement in the attack, Megawati has supported the reelection of the governor, whose term ends in October. The decision has enraged many party members, especially those grouped in the July 27 Victims Forum.

The coordinator of the forum, Sandra Fertasari, denied that the party had settled the July 27 tragedy with the military.

"If there is such a deal, we will sue Megawati. It would mean that we had been forsaken," Sandra told The Jakarta Post.

Sandra, along with 123 other people who were imprisoned for three months after the attack, conceded that her 123 friends had received Rp 10 million (US$1,111) each from the party's central board six months ago, but said there was no indication that the money had anything to do with the military or with Sutiyoso.

"I'm the only one who didn't take the money because I suspected there was something behind it," she said.

Another victim, Thomas Resmol, admitted earlier that he and his friends had accepted money from the party's central board but denied that the money was from Sutiyoso.

"We were told that the money was from some businessmen who sympathized with us," Thomas said last week.

Thomas and his friends earlier rallied outside the City Council building to protest Megawati's support for the reelection of Sutiyoso in the next gubernatorial election.

They called Megawati a traitor for supporting Sutiyoso and defying the party's aspirations.

The party's central board officially announced its support for Sutiyoso last week, saying it considered Sutiyoso capable of maintaining security for the 2004 general election and the General Assembly of the People's Consultative Assembly.