THE telephone in the office of the Army Special Forces Regiment (RPKAD) in Cijantung, East Jakarta, rang throughout January 15 in 1974. Jakarta was being hit by the biggest riots in the eight years of President Suharto's rule. The streets were ablaze with burning tires and vehicles. Thousands of university students and residents of the capital city had taken to the streets, many of them converging around the State Palace.

On the orders of Operati