Officers detained over 'Parepos' attack<\/p>\n
Jupriadi, The Jakarta Post, Makassar<\/p>\n
A dozen officers of the Parepare Military Resort Command's
\nMilitary Police detachment in South Sulawesi have been detained
\nhere in connection with a recent attack on the offices of local
\ndaily Parepos.<\/p>\n
Wirabuana Military Police Command chief Col. Bambang Wahyudi
\nsaid on Thursday that the 12 officers were undergoing questioning
\nin relation to charges of indiscipline under Military Police
\nregulations.<\/p>\n
According to eyewitnesses, at least 20 Military Police
\nofficers raided the daily's offices on April 29. They overturned
\ntables and threw chairs around, smashed glassware, and threatened
\nand insulted employees. They even assaulted one of the employees.<\/p>\n
The attack followed a news report published on the same day by
\nthe daily that a Military Police officer had been involved with
\ndrugs.<\/p>\n
When asked why only 12 of the 20 officers were detained,
\nBambang said that investigation indicated that only 12 personnel
\nwere directly involved in the vandalism, while the remaining
\neight had only arrived at the daily's office to give moral
\nsupport to their colleagues. Nobody was injured in the incident.<\/p>\n
\"Eight of the 20 men were just loitering around. Only the 12
\nwere therefore detained,\" Bambang said.<\/p>\n
He added that two of his best investigators, Maj. Yakrizul and
\nCapt. Jabbar, were personally looking into the matter.<\/p>\n
Wirabuana Military Commander Maj. Gen. Ahmad Yahya has
\nconveyed his apologies for the incident, Bambang told The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>\n
\"The Commander has apologized, and has stated that the
\nincident was wrong and unlawful. He has personally given
\ninstructions that the perpetrators be detained and that the case
\nbe investigated,\" Bambang said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Parepos chief editor Yasser Latief said that he was
\naware of the investigation into the incident.<\/p>\n
\"We have handed over whatever evidence we had to the
\ninvestigators, and have also given eyewitness testimony,\" Yasser
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He added that he was relieved by the fact that the Wirabuana
\nMilitary commander had made sure that an investigation into the
\nattack would be conducted.<\/p>\n
Yasser hoped, however, that the commander would tell his
\ntroops that the media should not be dealt with by violence.<\/p>\n
\"Since Ahmad become the commander, there have been three
\nseparate incidents of ill-treatment of journalists by military
\npersonnel,\" Yasser said.<\/p>\n
\"I am waiting for the investigation results before I can even
\nconsider of possible legal action against the Military Police
\nofficers.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/officers-detained-over-parepos-attack-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}