On 27 July 1996 police raided the head office of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), which had been occupied since June by supporters of the ousted PDI leader Megawati Sukarnoputri. The raid was characterised by the use of excessive force with up to 90 individuals believed to have been wounded and unconfirmed reports of deaths. At least 180 people were arrested. The raid led to demonstrations and rioting around Jakarta. There is grave concern for the safety of those detained and those who were wounded, some of whom are believed to be held incommunicado in a military hospital. There are also fears that there will be an official backlash against growing public opposition to the government and a deterioration in human rights.
