Djoko Tjiptono/Swastika & LM, Jakarta – Around 200 victims of the 27 July incident gathered at Central Jakarta's famous HI Roundabout Wednesday demanding the Jakarta Provincial government reject Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso's accountability speech. The demonstrators claim he is responsible for the bloody takeover of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters on 27 July 1996.
When thugs backed by the military raided the PDI headquarters, sparking riots, which claimed at least four lives and possibly 100s of disappearances, Sutiyoso was commander of the Jakarta military district.
Those demonstrating for the Jakarta government to reject him were drawn from several groups including the 27 July Youth Movement, the Family 124 Communication Forum (FKK 124) and the Jakarta Council of Reform Saviors. Arriving on 12 minibuses, they sported red headbands bearing the words "Reject Sutiyoso" and delivered speeches to passersby and motorists.
They argued Sutiyoso should be immediately removed as Jakarta Governor because he had numerous black marks against his name, from corruption and collusion to his direct authority over the operation known simply as the 27 July incident in Indonesia.
They also brought large banners reading "Sutiyoso = Dracula", "Sutiyoso's Hands Covered With Blood" and "DPRD DKI (Jakarta Provincial Government) Must Conduct Open Voting."
They also brought a 50-meter white banner covered with signatures of people who supported the investigation of the 27 July incident. They spread the white banner around this famous roundabout.
Many also carried flags and wore T-shirts emblazoned with the logo of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) headed by Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri who was the elected leader of the PDI at the time of the raid. The demonstration passed without great incident and only a couple of police officers were seen directing the traffic which ran smoothly.
As widely known, the latest investigation into the 27 July incident is being carried out by a 'connectivity team' established the House of Representatives and comprised solely of military of police personnel. Governor Sutiyoso delivered his annual accountability speech in late June and had it rejected narrowly in late July. The Governor was give the opportunity to improve his account of his previous year in office and the members of the legislative have managed to put off passing judgement on it. They'll have to act soon or it will be time for the next accountability speech although perhaps receiving new cars and various other perks recently has been a factor in the drawn out process.