Former VP testifies in Priok trial<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Former Jakarta Military commander Gen. (ret) Try Sutrisno
\nappeared in court on Monday to testify in an ad hoc rights
\ntribunal against Rudolf Butar-Butar, a retired general charged
\nwith crimes against humanity for his role in the bloody 1984
\nTanjung Priok massacre.<\/p>\n
In his testimony, Try defended his soldiers' actions, saying
\nthe deaths of protesting Muslims at Tanjung Priok was inevitable,
\nas they had turned into a mob that was deemed a security threat
\nto vital public facilities.<\/p>\n
Try said he was morally responsible for the bloodshed that had
\ntaken place and asked families of the victims to forget the past.
\n"As a commander, I was morally responsible for the incident,
\nwhich means that I am deeply sorry for the shooting of the
\nprotesters," he told the court.<\/p>\n
However, Try said that a commander could not be held
\nresponsible for what happened in the field. "Let the court
\ndecide, because a father cannot be blamed for what his child does
\nor vice versa," he said.<\/p>\n
He said that the initiative for the Islamic reconciliation
\nsettlement, known as islah, came from families of the victims and
\ndid not involve the distribution of money.<\/p>\n
Try, a former vice president during the iron-fisted
\nadministration of former president Soeharto, said each victim's
\nfamily had received Rp 2 million (US$230) and other provisions to
\ncompensate for their loss.<\/p>\n
Butar-Butar was a lieutenant colonel and headed the North
\nJakarta District Military Command when soldiers gunned down at
\nleast 14 Muslim protesters on Sept. 12, 1984.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors accused him of failing to prevent or halt the
\nkillings of civilians when in fact he had full authority to
\nprevent the crime from happening.<\/p>\n
Thirteen other officers and soldiers have been charged with
\nsimilar offenses. However, Try and LB Moerdani, the then
\nIndonesian Military commander, have not been charged.<\/p>\n
The trial was adjourned until Jan. 19.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/former-vp-testifies-in-priok-trial-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }