The Indonesian military government is continuing its campaign of
terror against the people. As reported in the first post,
on July 27, an Indonesian armed force of over 2000 police backed by
the military attacked the offices of the Indonesia Democratic Party
(PDI) headed by Megawati Sukarnoputri and forcibly took it over.
The military assault resulted in three known deaths amongst the
protestors, hundreds injured and 236 arrests. The military
authorities have now said that 120 of those arrested have been
charged, some with subversive activities for which they could face
the death penalty.
Protests have continued in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta
with reports of serious demonstrations and clashes with police
throughout the weekend after the military assault. There was a
further skirmish the following Thursday morning with reports saying
that, "About 1,000 police and soldiers drove protesters away from
the Gajahmada business district in central Jakarta....Armoured
vehicles were parked near the court building while several hundred
marine and army troops with submachine guns guarded banks and
office buildings in the area." Reports stated that soldiers are
still visible in the suburbs, as well as stationed throughout the
central business district and around banks and telecommunications
centers
Meanwhile the military authorities took into custody for
questioning the leader of the PDI, Megawati Sukarnoputri. News
reports said, "Megawati, who defied a first summons, spent more
than five hours under intense interrogation, the 49-year-old ousted
party leader was not seen coming out from the police office.
Security was tight with anti-riot police wielding rattan sticks as
Megawati arrived at the Jakarta police headquarters accompanied by
about two dozen of her followers....Police also summoned for
interrogation Aberson Marle Sihaloho, one of Megawati's party
leaders. Both Megawati and Sihaloho are members of Parliament. Four
other legislators were also summoned for questioning. Sukmawati
Sukarnoputri, the sister of opposition leader Megawati
Sukarnoputri, was questioned Monday at the attorney general's
office." The military also arrested Muchtar Pakpahan, chairman of
the independent Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union, who was picked
up last Tuesday night from his home and subsequently charged with
subversion.
The military is continuing its reign of terror against all
opposition announcing that they have also arrested five leaders of
the Democratic People's Party (PRD), a youth organization,
including Budiman Sudjatmiko, chairman of the PRD. They also
detained for questioning a prominent Indonesian political activist
and author, Pramoedya Ananta. Pramoedya is one of the survivors of
the Suharto military's coup d'etat and massacre of almost a million
communists in 1965-66. Pramoedya was arrested in 1965 and freed in
1979. All of Pramoedya's more than 30 novels and books have been
banned in Indonesia.
The present Indonesian state, controlled by Suharto, is
following the same brutal path that has made it infamous. The
latest state-organized attack on the PDI and other organizations,
and the reign of terror that has been unleashed further proves the
anti-democratic and blood-thirsty character of the Suharto regime.
Shawgi Tell
University at Buffalo
Graduate School of Education
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
