Victims of violence call for rule of law

Victims of violence call for rule of law

JAKARTA: People who fell victim to the bloody incident on July 27, 1996, when the head office of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-Perjuangan) was taken over by a government- backed splinter group, demanded the ruling PDI Perjuangan show a commitment to the rule of law by pushing for the settlement of the case.

The group questioned in its letter why the investigation into the bloodshed had made no progress even after the party, which was also the victim of violence, assumed power after its chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri rose to the presidency last year.

"Is PDI Perjuangan reaching a compromise with certain parties? It has been six years since the incident took place, which has given the impression that it has been purposely forgotten about.

"Megawati should be more responsive (to the demand), instead of slowing the pace (in investigating the case) because of position in power," the letter signed by the group's coordinator Noldy Manengky says.

The group also demanded the party weed out "opportunists" and "New Order infiltrators", whom they said were an obstacle to the settlement of the case.

The violence followed a forcible takeover of Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party head office on Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta by its splinter group. A number of military and police top officers have been questioned over the bloodshed, which reportedly left dozens of people killed or missing. -- Antara