Djoko Tjiptono/FW & Lyndal Meehan, Jakarta – After the Police handed in the findings of their investigations into the 27 July 1996 attack on the offices of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), the House decided to set up a special "connectivity trial". Many doubt that the Connectivity Team, comprised exclusively of military and police personnel, will bring the high ranking offices accused of executing the attack to justice.
As reported widely, on 27 July 1996 supporters of Megawati Sukarnoputri, now Vice President, were violently attacked and ejected from the Party headquarters where they had been holed up after Megawati was ousted from the PDI leadership in an internal party coup. At least five died in the riots that ensued in Jakarta and an unknown number of others "disappeared" in the following weeks and months.
The police report into the incident was compiled over several months of questioning high level military figures, PDI leaders and thugs alledgedly involved in the incident as "witnesses" and several of the civilians officially became suspects. Police submitted their findings to the Attorney General last week although several of the submissions failed to meet the prerequisites set and were returned to undergo improvements.
However, according to Indonesian law, military personnel may only be tried in a military court and few in the police, parliament or civil society believed a military panel would placate the calls for justice in this controversial case. The House, therefore, decided to set up a "connectivity trial" which would breach the legal immunity of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI).
The "Connectivity Team" established to look into the involvement of the military is comprised exclusively of members of the militarys' legal advisory team, the National Police Investigation Team and the Military Police.
Military Police Commander, May. Gen. Djasri Masrin, a member of the Connectivity Team, stated today that as soon as the case was handed over to them, work would begin the next morning. Djasri stressed that they were using this interim time to prepare their activities, schedules and coordination with the Police.
The Team plan to call again many of the high ranking officers suspected of planning and executing the bloody incident. "Today, the Connectivity Team will schedule the summonsing of the people who were allegedly involved in this case and [the schedule] will probably be implemented next week," said Djasri.
Djasri elaborated that in accordance with Regulation No. 31/1997 (on military courts) members of the Indonesian Armed Forces or the Police, will be summonsed through prior notification of their superior. In the case of retired members, the summons will be direct. Djasri added that the summons can come from either the National Police headquarters or the Military Police.
This "connectivity trial" is not the first to be held this year in Indonesia. On May 17, a "connectivity trial" chaired by five military and civilian judges passed judgement on 25 defendents, all but one members of the Indonesian security forces, in the murder of Tgk Bantaqiah and 56 of his pupils on July 23 1999 in the province of Aceh, Northern Sumatra.
In that case, the most frequent criticism from the public was that the trial only netted low ranking officers. In the case of the 27 July incident, civilian judges have no role and similar concerns that only the "little fish" will be pursued are being voiced. Whatsmore, activists are talking of a mutually beneficial deal struck between the parliament and military to keep the trial under their control alone.
"With this 'connectivity trial', New Order people [as former President Suharto's regime is known] who at this very minute are in the government want to prove that they can bring [offenders] to justice, but this will only be done at the lower levels. This is the proof that the 'connectivity trial' is a compromise between the House and the military and that the power of the old status quo is still strong," said Jonson Penjaitan, a lawyer with the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association.
Budiman Sujatmiko, Leader of the Peoples' Democratic Party (PRD) who was jailed for subversion in the aftermath of the incident is also talking conspiracy. "In the 27 July case in the House you get the impression certain things are being covered up, meaning that there's a conspiracy between the House and the military to let the officers directly involved off the hook," he said. Experience has already shown, he added, that cases involving the military have foundered and are never followed up with sound legal processes.
Many observers, including the PRD and various media, have also questioned the deafening silence on the issue from Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) she established after Suharto's downfall. They have only pursued with any vigour the civilians involved at the time, avoiding directly challenging the military's involvement.
Concerned parties are planning demonstrations and actions on the 4th anniversary of the incident to focuss attention on the involvement of the military and the failure of the legal system to deal with the case and perhaps renewing calls for the International Human Rights Court to investigate and try the guilty. It is highly unlikely that Megawati will join in, she has yet to make a public appearance at any of the commemorations.