Military denies role in killing spree<\/p>\n
SURABAYA (JP): The chief of the Brawijaya Military Command has
\nstrongly denied involvement of a military member in the killing
\nspree in the city of Malang, East Java, and rebuked the media for
\nreporting the allegation.<\/p>\n
Maj. Gen. Sudi Silalahi said on Wednesday that the allegation
\nwas baseless.<\/p>\n
\"We cannot say and do anything based only on allegations. For
\nGod's sake, I guarantee that no military members were involved in
\nthe killings. They (military members) have religion and morals,
\nwhile the killings were sadistic and immoral.\"<\/p>\n
He said he had sent a letter of protest to the Surabaya branch
\nof the Legal Aid Institute (LBH), which announced that a military
\nmember, identified only as ER, was found by residents at the site
\nof the ninth killing on Dec. 23 in Malang, some 90 kms south of
\nSurabaya.<\/p>\n
The LBH investigation team alleged that ER of the Kalipare
\nMilitary Subdistrict Command (Koramil) was behind the murder.<\/p>\n
Sudi said the LBH allegation was wrong. \"I have checked at
\nKalipare Koramil. No one there is identified as ER. So the
\nallegation was meant to play the military against the people.\"<\/p>\n
In the letter of protest dated Dec. 30, Sudi said that the
\nSurabaya LBH statements were biased and intended to corner the
\nmilitary.<\/p>\n
In an interview with The Jakarta Post, director of Surabaya
\nLBH Indro Sugianto said his organization would disclose the final
\nreport from the investigation team.<\/p>\n
\"Now the people have become cleverer. There is no need to hide
\neverything (from the people). The people deserve to get accurate
\nand adequate information,\" Indro said.<\/p>\n
The ninth victim was a 65-year-old woman, identified as Alimah
\nSaniwar.<\/p>\n
She was found with severe slash wounds to her back at her home
\nin Sumber Runcing village early Wednesday morning last week.<\/p>\n
Witnesses said the victim's house was set alight by a mob.<\/p>\n
East Java Police chief Maj. Gen. M. Dayat announced that 35
\npeople were detained as suspects throughout Malang precinct.<\/p>\n
Some of them were believed to be the instigators of the
\nkilling spree. \"One of them, identified as Maryono, hailed from
\nJakarta. He escaped and is believed to have returned to Jakarta.
\nWe will hunt him everywhere,\" he told journalists at a breaking
\nof the fast gathering.<\/p>\n
Dayat also urged people to be on alert for the murders to
\nspread. \"The killings will likely move to Blitar and Kediri. Both
\ntowns have the same characteristics as South Malang.\"<\/p>\n
The killings were well organized and backed by certain groups,
\nDayat added without elaboration.<\/p>\n
Blitar and Kediri are some 100 kms west of Malang.<\/p>\n
Malang Regional Police chief Col. Aryanto said last week that
\ninvestigations indicated political motives in the murders.<\/p>\n
He did not go into details, but disclosed that most of the
\nsuspects detained were relatives of members of the outlawed
\nIndonesian Communist Party (PKI).<\/p>\n
Observers also assumed that the killings might have a similar
\nmotive to the slayings of at least 150 people in six regencies in
\nEast Java, including Banyuwangi, in September 1998.<\/p>\n
The initial targets were people suspected of practicing black
\nmagic, but Muslim preachers were among the later victims.
\n(nur\/sur)<\/p>",
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