Asian Wall Street Journal

Jay Solomon

Jakarta - In a bid to boost its international credibility, Indonesia has unveiled a multiparty fact-finding team that armed forces commander Gen.Wiranto pledged would "completely reveal" what was behind the bloody rioting that broke out in May.

The team, which is to include an outspoken critic of the military's role in the riots, will investigate the May12 shootings of four Indonesian students in Jakarta, the looting and burning that followed in Jakarta and other cities, and reports that hundreds of women, mostly ethnic Chinese, were raped amid the carnage.

The group will comprise seven government ministries, a number of nongovernmental organizations and the National Committee on Human Rights. It has been given three months to complete its task. This team "shows that there is a strong will, an extraordinary one, from all the components in this nation in trying to reveal the truth of the incidents that occurred on May 12-15," Gen. Wiranto said Thursday .He added that the study is aimed at rehabilitating Indonesia's image in the eyes of the world.

The team includes Roman Catholic priest Sandyawan Sumardi, who has charged that elements within Indonesia's military acquiesced, or even took part, in the May violence that led to the resignation of former President Suharto. Mr. Sandyawan said that the government's move to create a fact-finding team is too late. But he said he will do what he can to contribute to a complete report, and pleaded Thursday with military to "please be aware that this team is being watched by international eyes and by the eyes of the victims." The priest, who aides say has received death threats, has stressed that high-ranking members of the nation's military would need to be questioned in any effective investigation.

The inclusion of such an outspoken critic by President B.J. Habibie is likely to help the president counter charges that he isn't seriously investigating the events. Mr. Sandyawan has spent much of the past nine weeks investigating May's events and asserts that there were at least 1,190 deaths and 168 rapes. Within Mr. Sandyawan's reports are detailed accounts alleging that Indonesian troops not only failed to prevent the rioting in Jakarta and other cities, but in many instances may have organized looting and burning. He also has been distributing horrifying photographs that depict bound and beaten women being attacked by hooded assailants in military garb.

Mr. Sandyawan has said he wants to investigate military commanders in the cities where the worst violence took place, such as Jakarta and Solo. That group is likely to include Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto, Mr.Suharto's son-in-law, who at the time of the May riots served as the chief of Indonesia's Strategic Command. Until March he served as the commander of the nations's special forces, known as Kopassus , which along with the Strategic Command shared responsibility for maintaining order in Jakarta and a number of other key cities.

Seven Kopassus soldiers have been arrested on charges relating to the abduction of al least 24 human-rights activists in the months leading up to Mr. Suharto's reelection in March.

Some observers ask whether the military would be able to move against top commanders, even under growing pressure. A split within the military is one reason, as is the chance that a wider investigation could result in more than one high- ranking officer being implicated.

When asked about his involvement in the kidnappings, Gen. Prabowo was reported by local media as saying, "I'm ready to take responsibility. But we have to wait for further developments."

Political analysts said Thursday's announcement marks the first time that Indonesia has set up an investigating commission that includes members of non- governmental organizations.

During the 32 years that Mr.Suharto led Indonesia, they said, official investigations often lacked credibility because they were conducted only by current of former government officials. In the most independent investigation to date, Mr.Suharto bowed to international pressure and appointed a former Supreme Court judge to look into the 1991 killings of anti-Jakarta protesters in East Timor.

Although the team investigating the May riots will be stated-funded, Gen. Wiranto asserted that it will carry out its work "with full honesty and transparency," free from political and other various interests.

Others expressed hope that the announcement would lead to answers. "We hope the special team can finally find who's the mastermind behind the whole thing," said Rita Serena Kalibonso, a leader of a women's group aligned with Mr. Sandyawan that is investigating the rapes.