Justice wanted for Semanggi victims<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Hundreds of students from various universities in Jakarta
\ndemanded that the government, and in particular the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office, uphold justice and punish those responsible for
\nthe Semanggi I incident on Nov. 13, 1998.<\/p>\n
The demand was conveyed during the fifth annual commemoration
\nof the incident, which killed 12 people including university
\nstudents.<\/p>\n
The parents of Bernardus \"Wawan\" R. Norman Irawan, a student
\nof Atma Jaya Catholic University who was killed by gunfire, urged
\nthe government to give their son justice.<\/p>\n
\"Our children were killed. We have been fighting for justice
\nbut the House of Representatives has hampered the fight,\"
\nSumarsih, Wawan's mother, said in a speech in front of the
\nAttorney General's Office in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The students also demanded that the government provide justice
\nto the victims of the Semanggi I, Semanggi II and Trisakti
\nincidents by setting up an ad hoc court human rights court.<\/p>\n
The Semanggi case files, along with those on the two other
\nshooting incidents, are in the hands of the Attorney General's
\nOffice but the investigation has yet to start due to a finding by
\nlegislators that no human rights violations occurred in the three
\nincidents.<\/p>\n
So far, the only action taken has been by a military court,
\nwhich convicted and sentenced a number of junior soldiers.<\/p>\n
The senior military officers allegedly responsible for the
\nshootings so far appear untouchable. They refused to answer
\nsummonses from the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas
\nHAM) during its probe of the case.<\/p>\n
The Semanggi I incident occurred when military troops tried to
\ndisperse thousands of demonstrators who had gathered in front of
\nthe Atma Jaya University at the Semanggi cloverleaf in Central
\nJakarta. A hail of bullets killed several people who were
\nattempting to march to the House of Representatives compound to
\nstop a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
Besides Wawan, the bullets also killed Sigit Prasetyo of YAI
\nAccountant College; Teddy Madani of the Indonesian Technology
\nInstitute in Serpong, Tangerang; and Muzamil Djoko Purwanto and
\nAbdullah, both from the University of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Before rallying in front of the Attorney General's Office,
\nstudents on Thursday visited Wawan's grave at the Joglo public
\ncemetery in West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
They went back to Atma Jaya University in the afternoon to
\nplace flowers at the spot where the killings occurred.<\/p>\n
Their action led to heavy congestion along Jl. Jend. Sudirman
\nfor about half an hour.<\/p>\n
Thursday's rally was a part of a series of commemorative
\nevents, including a photo exhibition, a theater performance and a
\ndiscussion.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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