Justice eludes Trisakti victims<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
\"History speaks for itself.\" This was the response a mother of a
\nvictim killed during the 1998 Trisakti shooting in West Jakarta
\ngave when asked about the zero law enforcement against the
\nkillers.<\/p>\n
Hira Tetty, the 54-year-old mother of Elang Mulya, said she
\nand three other victims' families did not feel that justice had
\nbeen done, despite it being seven years since the reform movement
\nbegan and the downfall of former strongman Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Elang was shot dead allegedly by security personnel on May 12,
\n1998. Three other Trisakti University students were killed,
\nnamely Hafidhin Royan, Hendriawan Lesmana and Herry Hartanto.<\/p>\n
\"As a parent, I am tired of seeking justice on earth for my
\nson, but I believe it will happen in the hereafter,\" Tetty told
\nThe Jakarta Post on Sunday, speaking on behalf of herself and the
\nparents of the three other victims.<\/p>\n
Elang, born on July 15, 1978, was the second of her three
\nchildren and studied architecture at Trisakti University.<\/p>\n
Tetty and the parents of Hafidhin, Hendriawan and Herry have
\nstruggled to have the truth revealed, but to no avail.<\/p>\n
As if Elang's death was not enough reason to mourn, Tetty also
\nlost her beloved husband five years later. Bagus Yoga Nandita
\npassed away in 2003 after suffering constant depression over the
\nloss of his son.<\/p>\n
Now, Tetty has to fight alone for justice without her husband.<\/p>\n
\"My husband used to actively attend meetings with the other
\nvictims' families and people concerned with us, such as lawyers,
\nlecturers, students and non-governmental organizations, to fight
\ntogether.<\/p>\n
\"Although in the end they became no different from a ping-pong
\nball as they met with different House of Representatives
\nmembers,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The House sparked condemnation from human rights activists
\nupon declaring that the Trisakti tragedy was not a case of gross
\nhuman rights abuse.<\/p>\n
Earlier, the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM)
\nreported it had found systematic gross human rights violations
\ncommitted during the tragedy followed by deadly riots in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Tetty said that even though people had sacrificed their lives
\nfor the reform movement, the situation in the country had not
\nsignificantly improved. Many others have voiced the same opinion.<\/p>\n
\"Nothing has improved. Graft is still rampant, riots still
\ntake place and the Trisakti tragedy has never been resolved,\"
\nsaid Tetty, a housemother who lives off her late husband's
\npension from Bank Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The families of the Trisakti tragedy victims no longer expect
\nthe killers to be brought to trial.<\/p>\n
\"The case has been going on for seven years like a ping-pong
\ngame. But (the victims) should at least get recognition as heroes
\nof the reform movement,\" Tetty said.<\/p>\n
The Trisakti tragedy was followed by mass riots, which ravaged
\nJakarta and several other cities from May 13 through May 15,
\n1998. This preceded the end of 32 years of authoritarian rule of
\nSoeharto, who quit on May 21 that year.<\/p>\n
However, nobody has been held accountable for the tragedy.<\/p>\n
The 16-member independent team set up by Komnas HAM in March
\n2003 failed to question most of the military officers active at
\nthe time as they refused to comply with summonses issued by
\nKomnas HAM.<\/p>\n
They included then Jakarta Military Commander Lt. Gen. Sjafrie
\nSjamsoeddin (now the Ministry of Defense secretary-general) and
\nSjafrie's former assistant Maj. Gen. Tritamtomo (now the Bukit
\nBarisan military commander).<\/p>\n
Activists recently urged the House to propose the
\nestablishment of an ad hoc human rights tribunal so that all
\nsuspects could be summoned.<\/p>\n
The call came as the Attorney General's Office seemed
\nreluctant to follow up on the findings by the independent team.
\n(004)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/justice-eludes-trisakti-victims-1447893297",
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