Activist testifies he was tortured<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Political activist Pius Lustrilanang told the
\nNational Commission on Human Rights on Monday that he was beaten,
\nelectrocuted and kept blindfold for two months after being
\nkidnapped by a group of unidentified men.<\/p>\n
\"I am telling you this at the risk of death,\" Pius told a
\nmeeting held to gather information about the recent disappearance
\nof a number of activists who have led or been involved in some
\nanti-government protests.<\/p>\n
The secretary-general of SIAGA, a loose association of
\nsupporters of government critics Megawati Soekarnoputri and Amien
\nRais, told commission members Albert Hasibuan, Clementino dos
\nReis Amaral and Maj. Gen. (ret) Samsudin that he had been
\nabducted at gunpoint in front of the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital
\nin Central Jakarta on Feb. 4 and released on April 3.<\/p>\n
He said he was forced into a gray Toyota Corolla sedan with
\nthree people inside, and taken to a location somewhere between
\nJakarta and Bogor in a journey that took approximately 45
\nminutes.<\/p>\n
During his absence, Pius said he was kept blindfold and hand-
\ncuffed at all times, except when asked to identify pictures and
\nwrite statements. He did not see the faces of any of his
\nabductors because they wore masks.<\/p>\n
\"They asked me if I went to a meeting in South Jakarta which
\nwas also attended by Megawati. When I told them I did not they
\ngave me electric shocks on my arms and legs.\" Pius said.<\/p>\n
\"This treatment went on for quite some time, until I gave in
\nand provided them with the answer they wanted,\" Pius told the
\ncommission.<\/p>\n
Pius said he was kicked and beaten whenever his abductors were
\nunhappy with his response to questions about which meetings he
\nhad attended and his links to a number of government critics and
\nnon-governmental organizations, including the outlawed Democratic
\nPeople's Party (PRD).<\/p>\n
Pius was shown pictures of Megawati and other people and asked
\nif he recognized them.<\/p>\n
Pius said he was only interrogated on the first and third days
\nof his captivity. \"From the third day onward, they kept me in a
\ncell until they released me in April,\" Pius said.<\/p>\n
Pius said that after the interrogation on the first day, he
\nwas forced into an open water tank inside his windowless cell,
\nand was kicked in the head when he did not immediately comply.<\/p>\n
His captors then pushed him down until the water reached his
\nnose, and again kicked him repeatedly in the head. \"I thought
\nthat I was going to die,\" he said, before breaking into tears.<\/p>\n
Pius said there were five other cells at the location where he
\nhad been held. During his captivity he had the opportunity to
\ntalk to the cells' occupants, who were the other missing
\nactivists.<\/p>\n
Pius said they were Rahardjo Waluyo Djati, 28, and Faisol
\nRiza, 24, -- both from Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta --
\nand Herman Hendrawan, 27, a student from Airlangga University in
\nSurabaya.<\/p>\n
The three have been missing since March 12, when they were
\nknown to be in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
However, Munir from the Commission for Missing Persons and
\nVictims of Violence (Kontras) told a media conference later on
\nMonday that the three were returned to their families on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Pius said he also talked from inside his cell to two other
\nactivists, Yani Avri and Sonny, who are still missing, and Desmon
\nJ. Mahesa from the Nusantara Legal Aid Foundation and Haryanto
\nTaslam of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), who have
\nrecently reappeared.<\/p>\n
Military<\/p>\n
Commission member Samsudin said there had definitely been a
\nviolation of Pius' rights because he was taken against his will
\nand abused.<\/p>\n
\"The commission will report this to Jakarta Police
\nHeadquarters,\" he said, adding that he believed it was low-
\nranking security agents who kidnapped Pius.<\/p>\n
\"I'm sure the kidnapping was not ordered by top security
\npolicy makers,\" Samsudin said. He also said the kidnappers'
\nmethods were familiar to him because of his experience in the
\nmilitary.<\/p>\n
Pius said he was released on the condition that he would not
\ntell anyone, especially the media, about his experiences. He said
\nhis abductors had threatened to kill him if he did.<\/p>\n
\"If we don't find you in a week, we'll find you in a month,\"
\nPius quoted one captor as saying. \"We are very patient.\"<\/p>\n
Besides Sonny and Yani, at least two other activists -- Bimo
\nPetrus and Suyat -- are still missing, Kontras reported on Monday.<\/p>\n
Another student activist and PRD member, Andi Arief, 27, who
\nwas kidnapped last month, turned up in National Police custody
\nlast week. He is now being held in the Jakarta Police detention
\ncenter.<\/p>\n
Separately, Minister of Justice Muladi called for an official
\nexplanation of the disappearances of the activists from the Armed
\nForces. (byg\/edt)<\/p>",
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