Gen. Wiranto apologizes for journos' beating<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense\/Armed Forces (ABRI)
\nCommander Gen. Wiranto early Thursday visited 12 people injured
\nin a clash between security personnel and demonstrating students
\nat two different hospitals.<\/p>\n
The 12 were one photojournalist and two students beaten up by
\nsoldiers, and nine troops who were hit by a car driven by
\ndemonstrating student Anas Alamudi.<\/p>\n
Wiranto apologized to the journalists through the executives
\nof their respective media. \"This is really an unwanted incident
\nand ABRI (Armed Forces) hope cooperation between the two media
\nand the Armed Forces remains good,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Later in the day, Wiranto met with a number of journalists
\ncovering the Special Session of the People's Consultative
\nAssembly and again apologized. He also pledged to punish soldiers
\nwho beat the journalists reporting the student protest.<\/p>\n
\"They were guilty... there will be action taken against the
\nsoldiers,\" Wiranto said, adding a probe will be conducted into
\nthe incident to seek out the involved soldiers.<\/p>\n
At least three journalists were hurt and rushed to a military
\nhospital after they were beaten up by soldiers chasing student
\nprotesters on a main avenue in Central Jakarta late on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The beating was sparked by another incident on Jl. Imam Bonjol
\nin which a jeep at the vanguard of some 2,000 protesters who
\nintended to march to the Assembly building crashed into troops
\nblocking their advance. Nine soldiers were taken to hospital.<\/p>\n
As reported earlier the nine soldiers were Second Lt.
\nNyarimun, Second Sgt. Jamadi, Second Corp. Tugiono, First Sgt.
\nSanusi, Chief Soldier Muchtar, Second Soldier Sugito, Second
\nsoldier Wawan Rustandi, platoon commander Second Lt. Paryono and
\nchief of Menteng sub-district Military Capt. Eko Natalius.<\/p>\n
The driver, University of Indonesia student Anas Alamudi, is
\nnow in city police custody. He was interrogated for hours
\nWednesday night and insisted that he lost control of the car
\nbecause the soldiers smashed the vehicle.<\/p>\n
The incident had drawn many protests from various quarters,
\nespecially associations of journalists and photojournalists, and
\nthe National Commission on Human Rights.<\/p>\n
Commission members Sugiri and Albert Hasibuan agreed that the
\nbeating was unjustified for whatever reason it was done. They
\nasked the defense minister to account for the incident and court-
\nmartial the suspected troops.<\/p>\n
Assembly deputy speaker Hari Sabarno was quoted by Antara
\nsaying the Assembly regretted the incident and urged an
\ninvestigation.<\/p>\n
Wiranto was accompanied on his visits to the injured by the
\nchief of the Jakarta Military Command, Maj. Gen. Djadja Suparman,
\nand ABRI spokesman Maj. Gen. Syamsul Ma'arif.<\/p>\n
Upon his arrival at 1 a.m. sharp, Wiranto was escorted to 18-
\nyear-old Tuti Nurbaiti's room in St. Carolus Hospital.
\nJournalists were not allowed to enter during Wiranto's 15-minute
\nvisit. \"I've met the girls' parents and I've asked them to be
\nstrong because this incident was something beyond our
\nexpectations,\" he later told reporters.<\/p>\n
The visit surprised fellow students who were keeping a vigil
\nbeside the beds of Tuti and Novianti, who is also being treated
\nin the same hospital.<\/p>\n
\"It's surprising that Wiranto dared to come here and see us,\"
\nstudent Zulhamdi said.<\/p>\n
Spontaneously, as Wiranto was about to get into his car,
\nZulhamdi stopped him, saying, \"Sir, if you can't resolve this
\nincident, you'd better resign,\" he told the stunned general.<\/p>\n
At Gatot Subroto Army Hospital, the injured soldiers were
\nroused by the nurses on duty, who appeared flustered by the
\ngeneral's visit. Wiranto approached each of the soldiers in turn
\nand spoke gently, asking them how they felt and inquiring after
\ntheir families.<\/p>\n
Tugiono, who was the worst hurt in the incident, told the
\ngeneral he had one infant daughter and said he had been operated
\non for a broken leg. (emf\/ivy)<\/p>",
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