Munir's wife, rights activists defy threats<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The wife and colleagues of human rights activist Munir who died
\nof arsenic poisoning aboard a plane flight in September vowed on
\nSunday not to be silenced by intimidation and to continue voicing
\ntheir demands for justice.<\/p>\n
Munir's wife, Suciwati, spoke after receiving a death threat
\nmailed to her house in Bekasi, West Java. A brown box filled with
\na severed chicken head, legs and intestines came with a typed
\nmessage saying 'Do not connect the TNI to Munir's death. Want to
\nend up like this!'<\/p>\n
TNI is the acronym for the Indonesian Military, which Munir
\nwas critical of.<\/p>\n
Suciwati said she and her late husband were used to receiving
\nthreats.<\/p>\n
\"When my husband was still alive, we used to live with terror.
\nWe never told the public about it because we didn't want to give
\nthe threats importance,\" Suciwati said.<\/p>\n
The package had been reported to the police who arrived at the
\nfamily's residence four hours after the mail arrived.<\/p>\n
Suciwati, however, said the threat would not drive her to
\nspeculation as to who killed her husband.<\/p>\n
\"The murder could be anyone,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Rusdi Marpaung from human rights watch Imparsial, which Munir
\ncofounded, and Catholic priest Sandyawan Sumardi accompanied
\nSuciwati during her statement.<\/p>\n
The threat came as rights groups demanded a thorough
\ninvestigation into Munir's suspicious death on a Garuda flight en
\nroute to Amsterdam. The Netherlands Forensic Institute said an
\nautopsy performed on Munir had found he died from excessive
\nlevels of arsenic in his body.<\/p>\n
Rusdi said Munir's family in Malang, East Java, had also
\nreceived a disturbing letter two days after he died.<\/p>\n
\"The message was 'congratulating' the family for Munir's death
\nas the writer branded Munir a traitor and wished that the spirits
\nof the country's heroes would pardon him,\" Rusdi said.<\/p>\n
Imparsial director Rachland Nashidik said he and fellow rights
\nactivists would not jump to the immediate conclusion the threats
\ncame from elements the military.<\/p>\n
\"We just want the police to properly investigate the case and
\nrefrain themselves from speculation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The threats, he said, confirmed suspicions that Munir's death
\nwas politically motivated and involved professionals.<\/p>\n
Garuda Indonesia head of corporate communications Pudjobroto
\nsaid on Saturday the airline would support the police
\ninvestigation and facilitate the interrogation of the GA-974 air
\ncrew who were on duty when Munir died.<\/p>\n
Team -- Page 4<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/munirs-wife-rights-activists-defy-threats-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }