[The following is a slightly abridged translation of a press statement sent to ASIET (Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor) by the underground PRD]

July 27, 1997 was a day to commemorate "Bloody July 27" which resulted from an attack by the military and hired thugs on the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters which was being used by the valid [Megawati Sukarnoputri] leadership of the PDI. The harsh and brutal actions by the New Order dictatorship was a contemptible and shamed the already stained history of Indonesia, and made Indonesia the focus of world attention, primarily since the New Order regime slaughtered around two million people in 1965, Muslins in Aceh, Tanjung Priok, Lampung and Samping, HKBP Christians, Ujung Padang students, the people of East Timor and West Papua and other slaughters (1).

This incident was followed by the hunting down, legal and illegal arrests, abductions, intimidation and slander against pro-democratic activists and their families, relatives and friends.

But as we know, the harsh and brutal actions of the New Order military have never stopped the people from resisting. On the contrary, this only exposed the evilness of the dictatorship itself and pushed the people to find a new method of struggle. It has been proven that after the July 27 repression, the resistance of the people has become even broader and more radical in the form of ongoing rioting. Although we are also sad that some of the peoples' resistance has been distorted by military intelligence to become issues of ethnic, religious, racial and inter-group conflicts (SARA) in order to save their position of power.

The PRD, who were first slandered as the masterminds behind the bloody incident, which was followed by arrests, slander, searches, jailings and torture of our cadre, we did not retreat. Within a short time the PRD changed its method of struggle from the legal (open) one to an underground one. The arrests of a large part of the PRD leadership did not stop the organisation; it was followed by the formation of regional leadership committees. The PRD now regularly produces the monthly bulletin, Pembebasan (Liberation) and has continued to recruit and train radical and resolute new cadre. In order to develop international solidarity, the PRD has established international representatives in Sydney and Amsterdam.

The commemoration of July 27 was opposed by the armed forces (ABRI). According to Army commander Wiranto, the incident did not need to be commemorated because it was a tragedy which involved mass brutality. But everyone knows that the real reason why the military has forbidden the commemoration of tragic and terrible incidents since 1965. It is no different, the commemoration would remind the people of ABRI's harshness, brutality and evil against the people. In order to prevent the people from recalling ABRI's evil which resulted in mass resistance, ABRI did its utmost to make the commemoration fail.

However, as we witnessed the people continued to uphold their right to commemorate the tragedy. In Jakarta and other cities, people thronged to attend commemoration actions without fear of the military's threats. In Jakarta the people joined together with other groups at Jl. Diponegoro (2) but were blocked by the military as they went to the PDI headquarters. The rally was attacked, protesters chased and arrested. According to our figures, 92 people were arrested and held by the military and eight are reported to have disappeared.

Among those arrested was Dr Rifka Ciptaning, the Tengerang PDI deputy chair who is still suckling a one month old baby and Be (a pro-Megawati activist) and Sy (a National Committee for Democratic Struggle, Komite Nasional Perjuangan Demokrasi, KNPD activist) [when this statement was released Rifka Ciptaning was still in custody but has now been released - JB]. Be and Sy were arrested, detained and interrogated (3) by Bakorstanasda because they had distributed leaflets by the Mega-Star-People Democratic Coalition (4).

The leaflets carried a seven point program: United to replace Suharto, investigate the wealth of the president and government official's families, withdraw the 1985 five political laws, withdrawal the dual function of the military, seats for the political parties in the cabinet, abolish corruption, collusion and the conglomerates.

Essentially the leaflet invited the people to gather at a rally on July 27, 1997, at the PDI headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro. The action would be called an "Action to Resist the Dictatorship" as a commemoration of the military's attack which resulted in a number of people being killed, hundreds wounded and arrested and scores of others missing. It also called on United Development Party (PPP) members, Megawati supporters and other pro-democratic groups to unite in support of the action. The leaflet also called on drivers, workers, peasants and the poor to become involved in the political struggle, because the fortunes of the poor will not change without democracy in this country. At the end of the leaflet it called on the people to resist attempts by the military to block the action.

The PRD supported this program and the contents of the leaflet because it is the same as the PRD's own program. The PRD also supported the leaflets call to the people because it educated or provided a lesson to the people on how to resist the New Order dictatorship and as a guide for the people who have been oppressed and marginalised from politics for more than 31 years.

The PRD also supported the July 27 commemoration because it has three important meanings:

1. So the people will always remember the harsh, brutal and evil actions by the military against Megawati supporters, pro-democratic activists and the people;
2. This commemoration could become a place for the people to struggle against the New Order regime if it is organised seriously;
3. It can become give momentum to unite pro-democracy groups by jointly commemorating the July 27 tragedy as part of this process.

The PRD also condemns the attacks, hunting and arrests of all those involved in the commemoration, both before, on and after Sunday July 27. These actions further convince us that the New Order military is truly anti-democratic and cannot be expected to be involved in dialogue. At the same time this reinforces our view that the New Order regime including Suharto must be replaced.

And most of all, the military's actions in breaking up the mass gatherings proves to us that mass actions are what the dictatorship most fears. Because mass rallies are very easy to attract people and when the gatherings are large, the people are not afraid to resist and the military cannot just act as they wish. We will continue therefore, to organise mass actions resisting the New Order regime.

But we must also be aware that large mass gatherings will not just happen by themselves. This struggle needs unity from many groups, primarily the mass organisations and political parties in a united front or democratic coalition. To clear the way for the formation of a front or coalition we must create a platform which will become a joint program of struggle.

With regard to the MPR session (5) and to prevent the renomination of Suharto as president, the most correct platform should be:

1. Reject the 1997 election results
2. Rerun the general elections
3. Reject the president Suharto's renomination.

This program is correct because it will be accepted by many groups and is a strategy to defeat the New Order dictatorship of Suharto. This program will unite many groups including:

1. Megawati supporters who were prevented from becoming participants in the elections;
2. The PPP which was cheated by Golkar (the state party) and oppressed by ABRI in the elections
3. Pro-democracy groups who chose to Golput (6) and boycott the elections
4. The people who have been tricked by the illusions and empty promises of the elections.

This program is strategic because discontent over the elections is already widespread and can be turned into a more significant issues, up to the stage of replacing the president and his government. If the elections are rerun – in a truly democratic fashion – the Suharto's power will easily be defeated. To achieve an election rerun we must campaign to reject the election results.

Translators notes:

1. Aceh, Tanjung Priok, Lampung and Samping refer to incidents in which large numbers of Islamic activists have been killed by the military. HKBP Christians refers to Christian church who's leadership was ousted by the regime. Ujung Padang students refers to a student demonstration in South Sulawasi in 1996 in which a number of students were killed by the military.

2. See previous notes.

3. The original Indonesian term was "disiksa" which can also mean to be tortured. Badan Koordinasi Stabilitas Nasional Daerah, Regional Body for the Coordination of National Stability is a regional level military intelligence body notorious for violating the human rights of detainees.

4. See previous notes.

5. MPR: Megalis Permusyawaratan Rakyat, People's Consultative Assembly. The highest legislative body in the country with 1,000 members, 425 of whom are elected with the remainder appointed by the president. It meets once every five years (usually around a year after the general elections) to hear an outgoing report from the president and to vote on nominations for the president and vice-president. The next session of the MPR will be held in March 1998.

6. Golput: Golongan Puti, White Movement, first emerged as a campaign by students in the 1971 elections and derives its name from the idea of not marking the ballot paper. Championed by people such as Arif Budiman, the movement did not reemerge in later elections until 1992.

[Translated by James Balowski]