Team begins inquiry into attack on PDI headquarters
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)