Titis Widyatmoko/Hendra & PT, Jakarta – Chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PRD) Budiman Sudjatmiko has met the National Ombudsman Commission, complaining about the continuing blundering process involving the civil case of 13 officials who have been charged for their involvement in the July 27 incident.
Budiman voiced his dissatisfaction today at the Ombudsman office, Graha Mustika Ratu in Jl Gatot Subroto, South Jakarta, where he was directly received by Head Ombudsman, Antonius Sujata.
As reported earlier, the second session of the PRD law suit against leaders of the New Order regime of former president Suharto progressed with the reading of the accusations by the PRD's legal team. They are suing for damages of Rp 6 billion (US$603,136) for the persecution the party experienced under the regime. The court was adjourned for two weeks to hear the response of the defendants.
The victims involved in the case are PRD activists including Budiman Sudjatmiko, Petrus Hari Haryanto, Garda Sembiring, and Jacobus Eko Kurniawan who were imprisoned along with around 75 other PRD members and supporters.
The PRD has named 13 of the New Orders most prominent figures in their case, including Suharto himself and many of the militarys top brass. The case centers on the 27 July 1996 bloody raid on the offices of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) by hired thugs backed by the military, which sparked massive riots in the capital. The regime immediately undertook a propaganda campaign against the fledgling party, calling it the dalang or mastermind of the riots, and numerous party leaders were jailed for over 3 years under archaic subversion laws.
Besides the President/Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces General (Ret.): HM Suharto, the 12 defendants are: Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces ABRI: General Feisal Tanjung Chief of Staff of Social-Political Affairs (ABRI): LetGen Syarwan Hamid Chief of National Police: General (Pol) Dibyo Widodo Army Chief of Staff: General R. Hartono Minister of Home Affairs: Yogie Suardi Memet Chief of Armed Forces Intellegence: MajGen Syamsir Siregar Attorney General: Singgih SH Ministry of Justice: Oetojo Oesman SH Minister for Information: Harmoko Commander of the Jakarta Military Area: Major General Soetiyoso (currently Govenor of Jakarta) Commander of the Brawjijaya V Military District: Major General (ret.) Imam Utomo.
According to Budiman, several unprofessional incidents occurred during the trial disrupting proceedings. For example the defendants undisciplined and unruly behavior. In addition to this the lawyer for the Commander of the Jakarta Military Area: Major General Soetiyoso (currently Governor of Jakarta) continually arrived late and the judges tolerated his behavior. Further compounding Budimans frustrations were the council of judges refusal of the trial to be held in line with Suharto's trial.
"These unprofessional incidents during the process of the trial is an indicator of unfairness in court," said Budiman. He further added that because of the clumsiness surrounding the case, he is concerned about the upcoming temporary decision, which could harm the PRD as the prosecutor. Antonius Sujata has said that he would look into the case.