Kidnappers still walking free: Kontras<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Abductors of political activists are still on
\nthe loose, according to Munir of the independent Commission for
\nMissing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras).<\/p>\n
\"Five of the nine activists (who resurfaced after being
\nabducted) have seen a number of their abductors on the streets
\nrecently,\" Munir told reporters on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
He refused to identify the activists.<\/p>\n
\"They saw the abductors in front of the Indonesian Legal Aid
\nInstitute (LBH) office, on the bus and in some other public
\nplaces,\" he claimed.<\/p>\n
Munir conceded it was impossible at present to confirm whether
\nthe people were the 11 unnamed members of the Army's Special
\nForce (Kopassus), who are reportedly detained at the National
\nMilitary Police headquarters for involvement in the abductions.<\/p>\n
\"We do not know who those 11 people are... we also do not
\nknow whether those in detention are the real kidnappers or not.\"
\nHe added that those spotted in public might be accomplices of the
\nactual kidnappers.<\/p>\n
Munir urged the National Military Police to be transparent and
\nrelease the identities of the 11 Kopassus members.<\/p>\n
Activists who have reappeared and human rights groups,
\nincluding London-based Amnesty International, have said an
\nindependent body should be given access to the detained Kopassus
\nmembers to carry out an impartial investigation.<\/p>\n
The military police said they could only meet the suspects in
\na planned court-martial.<\/p>\n
Munir also protested the military's plan to submit the
\ndossiers of the detained Kopassus members to the court-martial
\nnext Tuesday since it has yet to locate 14 missing activists.<\/p>\n
\"It is likely they will be prosecuted only for their
\ninvolvement in the abductions of the nine activists who have
\nresurfaced,\" Munir said.<\/p>\n
He has argued that no military tribunal should be held until
\nall of the missing activists reappear because it would not be
\nlegally feasible to bring the officers before another trial for
\nthe same case should evidence be found later on.<\/p>\n
Kontras estimates that at least 24 activists went missing
\nbeginning in April last year. One was found dead last May. The
\nnine who resurfaced related harrowing tales of physical and
\nmental torture.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces (ABRI) announced the alleged involvement of
\nKopassus members in the abductions of political activists in
\nJuly.<\/p>\n
Minister of Defense and Security\/ABRI Commander Gen. Wiranto
\nthen discharged former Kopassus chief Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto
\n-- a son-in-law of former president Soeharto -- and removed two
\nsenior Kopassus officers from active duty in August for their
\ninvolvement in the abductions of political activists.<\/p>\n
National Military Police chief Maj. Gen. Syamsu Djalal said on
\nSaturday the investigators were still looking for more evidence
\nto prosecute Prabowo.<\/p>\n
Wiranto said in August the military did not know the
\nwhereabouts of the activists and promised to keep searching for
\nthem.<\/p>\n
Munir has said that ABRI, which has been battered by
\nrevelations of alleged human rights abuses, could not afford the
\ndisclosure of more past wrongdoing.<\/p>\n
He said recently that ABRI was caught in \"political
\ndifficulties\" over those who are still missing.<\/p>\n
\"ABRI is still calculating the implications if it announces
\nthat there are a number of people among these 14 activists who
\nare already dead.\"<\/p>\n
Munir said on Wednesday that Kontras planned to meet Prabowo's
\nfather, noted economist Soemitro Djojohadikusumo, on Friday in
\nits search for more information on the abductions.<\/p>\n
Soemitro was still in the United States on Wednesday, Munir
\nquoted the economist's secretary as saying. (byg)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kidnappers-still-walking-free-kontras-1447893297",
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