THE quiet morning of Saturday, July 27, 1996, at 6am, was shattered by the news of the storming of the PDI (Indonesian Democratic Party) headquarters by a mob of 200 unidentified people.

"Tough-looking men jumped out of eight trucks. They were rude, pushed their way in. They beat up young children as well as women at the roadside with rattan sticks," said witness Albert Birhan, a supporter of Megawati. It seemed like an assault by members of the sec