Public demand for action to uncover the mystery behind the 1998 May riots that led to the downfall of the Suharto regime apparently still has a long way to go before it achieves success.
At least four generals allegedly connected with the riots have ignored a summons from the ad hoc team set up to look into the incidents. The four generals who failed to attend the summons are Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsuddin, retired Lt. Gen Prabowo Subianto, Lt. Gen Sudi Silalahi and Maj. Gen. Tri Tamtomo.
In an interview with reporters at the National Human Rights Commission offices on Monday, the head of the ad hoc team, Salahuddin Wahid, said Tri Tamtomo had sent a letter explaining he could not answer the summons because of the unfolding situation in Aceh, but the other three generals had not provided any excuse.
"As far as Tri Tamtomo is concerned, I can understand. But the other generals, I do not know," said Wahid, a prominent figure in traditionalist Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and younger brother of former President Abdurrahman Wahid.
He said a second letter had been sent to the generals calling on them to appear on 6 June. "If they still refuse to meet our second call, we will send a third call. If they still do not come, they can be forced to appear by the authority of the Attorney General or the courts," he warned.
The riots in May 1998 resulted in the death of up to a thousand people. Many died in shopping centers in Jakarta and elsewhere that were deliberately set alight. The disturbances came a day after the killing of four students at Trisakti University by sniper fire.
At the time, the military was blamed for their inability to prevent the looting and the burning of shopping centers and housing complexes. This led to suspicion that the highest military authority had deliberately instigated the chaotic and anarchic situation in Jakarta for political reasons.
At the time, Sjafrie Sjamsuddin was Jakarta Regional Military Commander. He is now military spokesman at armed forces headquarters.
Prabowo Subianto was commander of the Army Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad). At the time Prabowo, a son in law of Suharto, was seen by many political observers as one of a handful of influential generals. Drummed out of the Army only months after the riots, he is now a businessman in Jordan.
Sudi Silalahi was chief of staff of the Jakarta Military Command, with the rank of brigadier general. He later served as East Java Regional Military Commander during the Abdurrahman Wahid presidency, and is now secretary to Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Tri Tamtomo was head of operations at the Jakarta Regional Military Command, with the rank of colonel, and then moved to become North Sumatra Regional Military Commander.
The killing of the four university students at Trisakti added to popular displeasure with the Suharto regime sparked by hikes in the price of fuel and finally gave anti-Suharto forces, especially students, the ammunition they needed to push hard for Suharto's resignation.
The other mystery that needs further investigation is related to the personal rivalry between the Armed Forces Commander, Wiranto, and Prabowo. Both generals were closely connected to Suharto's family. Some reports have it that the struggle for power between the two was the main factor instigating the May riots.