Hans David Tampubolon, Jakarta – One of former president Sukarno's most memorable speeches was titled "Jas Merah", an acronym for Jangan Sekali-kali Melupakan Sejarah (Don't ever try to forget history). Delivered in the twilight of his reign, his speech warned Indonesians not to forget the heroes who had sacrificed themselves for the republic.
But now, on the 15th anniversary of the July 27 attack, it appears that Soekarno's daughter, Megawati Soekarnoputri, has let history go by the wayside by allowing the demolition of the headquarters of the former Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) on Jl. Diponegoro in Central Jakarta.
On Wednesday, PDI supporters and the families of victims who died in the attack gathered to pay tribute to the victims of the July 27 tragedy on an empty plot of land where the building used to stand, virtually the only memorial to those lost. Eyewitnesses of the July 27 tragedy condemned the demolition.
"Fifteen years ago, we had bloodshed in this place. We spoke freely to criticize the Soeharto regime. This is where the reform movement began," Betawi leader Ridwan Saidi said in his speech commemorating the July 27 riots. Ridwan was one of the speakers at the podium erected on the spot for free speech in the lead up to the July 27 attack.
Ridwan, who also serves as a Jakarta historian, said demolishing the PDI headquarters showed a lack of appreciation by PDI-P leaders of historical buildings. "Now what? Are they going to build a new mall here?" Ridwan said.
Another eyewitness to the attack, Muchtar Pakpahan, who was jailed by the Soeharto regime for his role in the opposition, said he was devastated to know that the symbol of the reform movement was gone. He put the blame for the demolition squarely on Megawati.
"I am very sad and disappointed to see that the building has been demolished. It was the symbol of our fight for the reform movement. I am particularly disappointed with bu Mega. This building would not have been torn down without approval from the PDI-P elite," Muchtar said.
He added that the demolition would further tarnish the Sukarno family's image. "I believe the spirit of her father, Sukarno, will not rest peacefully now that this building has been demolished," he said.
The PDI headquarters demolition sparked accusations against the PDI-P leadership of ignorance of the 27 July riot – especially Megawati, whose ascent into national politics and her eventual post as the country's fourth president, owed a great deal to the grassroots support that converged around her in the days after the riot.
Megawati and other senior PDI-P members made no appearances at the July 27 tragedy commemoration, a gesture that critics attributed to a lack of resolve to uncover alleged human rights abuses in relation to the incident.
The attack in 1996 was a turning point for Megawati and her party. Activists alleged that the attack was supported by elements of former Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI), now the TNI. PDI-P lawmaker Budiman Sudjatmiko, who was targeted by the military after the July 27 riot, said the demolition would make way for a monument to be constructed.