Team begins inquiry into attack on PDI headquarters

JAKARTA (JP): A joint military-police investigation team initiated on Monday an inquiry into the involvement of both military and police personnel in the July 27, 1996 attack on the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro in Central Jakarta.

The team questioned on Monday five military personnel as witnesses in a four-hour session at the National Military Police headquarters on Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur in Central Jakarta.

The five were Col. Harianto, former assistant to the Jakarta military commander for intelligence affairs; Lt. Col. Erwin, former chief of the Jakarta military command's intelligence detachment on Jl. Kramat VII in Central Jakarta; Lt. Col. Leonard, head of intelligence unit at the detachment; and Maj. Adi and Capt. Purwo, both personnel at the intelligence detachment.

Deputy chairman of the joint investigation team, Maj. Gen. Djasrie Marin, hinted that the status of those questioned could be converted from witnesses to suspects, if there was enough evidence to support allegations of their involvement in the attack.

"The witnesses, including Col. Haryanto, can be named as suspects later. But, it will completely rest on the investigation results," Djasrie, who is also chief of the National Military Police, told reporters after the inquiry session on Monday.

He said the team questioned the intelligence officers upon the assumption that they had a lot of information about the attack.

"In the beginning, the team questioned Col. Haryanto, since, as assistant for intelligence affairs, he must have known a lot about the attack," he said.

The two-star general said the team did not rule out the possibility of detaining the military or police personnel if they hampered the investigation, such as by giving unclear testimonies.

"They can be detained here if they are not cooperative during the investigation," he said.

A previous investigation by police detectives had included the questioning, as a witness, of the former chief of what was then called the Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI), Gen. (ret) Feisal Tanjung, as well as former ABRI chief of sociopolitical affairs Lt. Gen (ret) Syarwan Hamid, former ABRI chief of general affairs Lt. Gen. (ret) Soeyono, former Jakarta military commander and incumbent Governor Lt. Gen. (ret) Sutiyoso and former ABRI chief of intelligence Maj. Gen. (ret) Samsir Siregar.

Djasrie vowed that the joint team would soon complete its investigation.

"We were initially scheduled to question the officers on July 19. But, we decided to proceed ahead of the schedule to Monday (today)," he said.

He conceded that there was strong public pressure on the team to immediately complete the investigation.

"We don't set the deadline. But we will complete the investigation as soon as possible since it has attracted the attention of the public, who are eager for the investigation results," Djasrie said.

Col. Agus Setiawan, a lawyer for the witnesses, refused to give any comments to reporters.

"We will give comments after the team complete the investigation," he said.

An investigation team member, Sr. Supt. Makbul Padmanegara, said recently that civilians would be questioned at the National Police headquarters, while military and police personnel would be questioned at the National Military Police headquarters.

The July 27, 1996 attack on the PDI headquarters, which was occupied by loyalists of PDI splinter party leader Megawati Soekarnoputri, by supporters of the then PDI chairman Soerjadi, who were backed by elements of ABRI, triggered unrest throughout the Central Jakarta area on the same day.

Soerjadi replaced Megawati, who is now Vice President of the country, in a government-sponsored congress in Medan in May 1996.

The unrest claimed five deaths and 149 others were injured. Another 23 people are reportedly still missing following the incident. (asa)