Joint team to present riot probe findings on Tuesday<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The join fact-finding team investigating the May
\nriots is to present its much-awaited final report to the
\ngovernment on Tuesday, the team chairman said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Leading human rights campaigner Marzuki Darusman told The
\nJakarta Post that the team will present its finding to the six
\nministers who established the team in a meeting at the Ministry
\nof Justice.<\/p>\n
\"It is very likely that we will present the final report on
\nTuesday since most of the ministers, except (Minister of Home
\nAffairs) Syarwan Hamid, who will be out of town, have already
\nconfirmed (their availability),\" Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
The other five are State Minister of Women's Affairs Tutty
\nAlawiyah, Minister of Defense and Security\/Armed Forces (ABRI)
\nCommander Gen. Wiranto, Minister of Justice Muladi, Minister of
\nForeign Affairs Ali Alatas and Attorney General Andi Muhammad
\nGhalib.<\/p>\n
The team was initially scheduled to present its final report
\non Oct. 23.<\/p>\n
Marzuki, who is also deputy chairman of the National
\nCommission on Human Rights, said earlier that the presentation of
\nfindings had been postponed due to a \"technical problem\".<\/p>\n
Marzuki denied any discord in the team, but admitted the
\nprocess to reach a consensus took a relatively long time as a
\nresult of the team members' diverse backgrounds.<\/p>\n
The 18-member team -- comprised of representatives of the
\nArmed Forces, government agencies, the rights commission and non-
\ngovernmental organizations (NGOs) -- was assigned to investigate
\nand, if possible, unveil the instigators of the riots, which many
\nbelieve were masterminded.<\/p>\n
The team is also investigating claims made by human rights
\ngroups that rampant sexual assaults and rapes took place during
\nthe riots which claimed the lives of around 1,200 people and led
\nto Soeharto's resignation from the presidency.<\/p>\n
A source close to the investigation told the Post that the
\nreport will say, among other things, that the Jakarta Operation
\nCommander (Pangkoops Jaya) should be held responsible for the
\nfailure of security during the deadly riots.<\/p>\n
The source also said that the team will disclose that at least
\n52 rapes and sexual assaults took place during the riots.<\/p>\n
Activists, including those from the Volunteers for Humanity
\nled by Catholic priest Sandyawan Sumardi, have said for months
\nthat 168 women and children were raped or sexually assaulted
\nduring the riots, 20 of whom reportedly died during the attacks
\nor committed suicide shortly afterwards.<\/p>\n
Sandyawan is a member of the joint fact-fining team.<\/p>\n
During the riots, when security was allegedly non-existent,
\nformer Jakarta Military commander Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin
\nwas the operation commander. He was replaced by Maj. Gen. Djadja
\nSuparman in July.<\/p>\n
Sjarie has since been appointed assistant for territorial
\naffairs to ABRI's Chief of General Affairs.<\/p>\n
Sjafrie was the first official to give testimony to the
\ninvestigation team. The team also questioned Lt. Gen. (ret)
\nPrabowo Subianto, who is the former commander of the Army's
\nSpecial Force (Kopassus), Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso, former city
\npolice chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata, ABRI Intelligence Agency
\nchief Maj. Gen. Zacky Anwar Makarim, Marine Corps Commander Maj.
\nGen. Suharto, former Jakarta Military Command chief of staff
\nBrig. Gen. Sudi Silalahi and Minister of Manpower Fahmi Idris.<\/p>\n
The team also met with Army Chief of Staff Gen. Soebagyo, who
\nled the Officers Honor Council investigating the abduction of
\npolitical activists.<\/p>\n
The team told the House of Representatives in September of its
\nbelief that there was a link between the unrest, the abduction of
\npolitical activists and the shooting dead of four Trisakti
\nUniversity students.<\/p>\n
However, Marzuki said on Oct. 28 that there were also links
\nbetween those three events and the downfall of Soeharto. (byg)<\/p>",
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