Angelus Tito, Jakarta – The Indonesia Human Rights Monitor (Imparsial) is urging President Megawati Sukarnoputri to cancel her order to law enforcers to postpone the legal investigation into the July 27 case(1). This was related to journalists by Impartial's program director Rachland Nashidik at a press conference held at the Imparsial offices on Jalan Diponegoro in Central Jakarta on Tuesday June 15.

According to Imparsial, the victims of the July 27 affair have waited too long for a legal investigation into this case so the president cannot and does not have the right to use her political authority to delay the legal process. Nashidik also said that it is natural that questions have arisen about the motives behind the reinvestigation of the July 27 case(2). "We don't care what the motive is, Megawati's error is clear, she did not push forward the legal investigation into the July 27 case immediately after she become president", said Nashidik.

Nashidik also explained that the statement by Imparsial on the July 27 case was only issued for the sake of seeking justice for the victims and does not take into account the question of supporting a particular presidential candidate. "It could be that the reaction will be that it is taken as support for Megawati, who in essence is [using the case] to keep another presidential candidate from winning, bearing in mind that SBY has been mentioned as one of the suspects [in the case]", said Nashidik.

Notes:

1. Following weeks of protests at the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters in Central Jakarta by pro-Megawati PDI supporters after the Suharto regime engineered Megawati's removal as the party's democratically elected chairperson, on July 27, 1966, paid thugs backed by the military attacked and destroyed the PDI offices resulting in the death of as many as 50 people. Popular outrage at the attack sparked several days of mass rioting and violent clashes with police. Many had hoped that with Megawati's ascendancy to the presidency those responsible would be held accountable however Megawati and other leading party figures have publicly distanced themselves (refusing to attend annual commemorations) from the issue. Those who were eventually brought to trial in late 2003 have all been low ranking soldiers or civilians and have either been acquitted for lack of evidence or given light sentences. None of those believed to have organised or led the attack have been brought to trial.

2. Democratic party presidential candidate former coordinating minister of politics and security Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) was chief of staff of the Jakarta military command at the time of the July 27 attack. Although no evidence has been found of his direct involvement, many argue that his position meant that he must have known beforehand about the plan. Witnesses have also placed him near the scene where he was allegedly seen with Jakarta governor Sutiyoso who was then the military chief of political affairs and has been directly implicated in the incident. Since coming to office the Megawati government has made no serious attempt to solve the case and therefore recent initiatives to reopen the investigation in the mist of the presidential election campaign have been seen as an attempt to sabotage the campaign of presidential favorite SBY.

[Translated by James Balowski.]