Activist set to testify before U.S. Congress today<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Political activist Pius Lustrilanang, who has
\nfled Indonesia in search of safety, is scheduled today to testify
\nbefore a U.S. Congressional subcommittee concerning his
\nabduction, his lawyer said here yesterday.<\/p>\n
In a statement made available to the media, the Indonesian
\nLegal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) said Pius, 30,
\nwould testify before the subcommittee on international operations
\nand human rights.<\/p>\n
The statement, signed by PBHI deputy director Paskah Irianto,
\nsaid the hearing would be held in the Rayburn House Office
\nBuilding in Washington.<\/p>\n
PBHI said Pius received the invitation, dated May 1, earlier
\nthis week from the subcommittee's chairman, Representative
\nChristopher H. Smith.<\/p>\n
\"Regarding human rights protection and promotion in Indonesia,
\nPius has confirmed that he will testify before the subcommittee,\"
\nthe PBHI statement said.<\/p>\n
Pius, secretary-general of a loose association of supporters
\nof government critics Megawati Soekarnoputri and Amien Rais, was
\nscheduled to arrive in Washington yesterday.<\/p>\n
PBHI said Pius' previous schedule to meet with leaders and
\nhuman rights groups in Paris, London, Ireland, Belgium and Bonn
\nhad to be rescheduled.<\/p>\n
Pius' visit to the United States is sponsored by the New York-
\nbased Human Rights Watch, the Robert Kennedy Memorial Center and
\nthe Indonesian community in the United States.<\/p>\n
PBHI said the quick response from the United States and the
\ninternational community indicated the seriousness of the
\ndisappearance cases.<\/p>\n
The statement added that the world attention had reaffirmed
\nthat human rights promotion and protection had become a global
\nconcern, instead of a mere domestic affair.<\/p>\n
PBHI, therefore, urged the government and the military to
\nthoroughly investigate the disappearance cases.<\/p>\n
A number of student and political activists known to be very
\ncritical of the government went missing in recent months
\nfollowing student antigovernment rallies staged almost daily
\nacross the archipelago.<\/p>\n
Nine of the 14 people reported missing have been \"found\". But
\nonly Pius has gone public with an account of his experience,
\nwhich included torture at the hands of an unknown group.<\/p>\n
Pius flew to the Netherlands April 27, saying that his
\nabductors had threatened to kill him if he spoke out about what
\nhad happened.<\/p>\n
The National Commission on Human Rights said last week that
\nthe student and political activists who went missing were
\nabducted by a well-organized group.<\/p>\n
The commission also said there was now growing public
\nperception that the state security apparatus may have been
\ninvolved.<\/p>\n
Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto, however, has
\ndenied any such allegations, saying that there had never been any
\ninstruction or policy in ABRI to abduct people.<\/p>\n
Wiranto said last week that ABRI had set up a team to
\ninvestigate the cases of missing people and determine whether any
\nmembers of the military were involved. (byg)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/activist-set-to-testify-before-us-congress-today-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}