Other general linked to activist abductions<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto
\nconfirmed yesterday that then Army Special Force (Kopassus) chief
\nLt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto received instructions from a superior
\nto launch security measures aimed at safeguarding the
\npresidential election last March.<\/p>\n
Wiranto, who is also minister of defense, said at ABRI's
\nCilangkap Headquarters in East Jakarta yesterday that the orders
\nalso instructed Prabowo to transfer Kopassus personnel to another
\nunit charged with the security of the General Session of the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
\"The instruction to transfer a number of Kopassus troops to
\nanother unit came from an officer, who was higher in rank. It
\ncould be anybody.<\/p>\n
\"The (Kopassus) troops were under the direct command of the
\nother military unit's commander,\" he explained.<\/p>\n
He did not name the \"higher-ranking officer\" who gave the
\ninstruction or the other military unit, saying only: \"It's a
\ncommon practice in ABRI for a military unit to lend troops to
\nanother unit for a certain military operation.\"<\/p>\n
ABRI's chain of command structurally has only three officers
\nwith the authority to issue a direct order to the Kopassus
\ncommander.<\/p>\n
In terms of military operations, Kopassus' commander directly
\nreports to the Armed Forces chief. For administrative affairs,
\nthe elite corps reports to the Army chief of staff.<\/p>\n
The ABRI commander at the time was Gen. (ret) Feisal Tanjung,
\nwho is now coordinating minister for political affairs and
\nsecurity, while the Army chief then was Wiranto.<\/p>\n
Such an instruction could have also come from ABRI's supreme
\ncommander at the time: then president Soeharto, who is also
\nPrabowo's father-in-law.<\/p>\n
Prabowo, together with his successor Maj. Gen. Muchdi
\nPurwopranjono and chief of Kopassus' Group IV for Intelligence
\nOperations Col. Chairawan, is now under intensive investigation
\nby ABRI's Officers Honor Council for his alleged role in the
\nkidnappings and torture of political activists.<\/p>\n
Ten other Kopassus soldiers, who rank lower than Chairawan,
\nawait a court-martial for the kidnappings. The trial is expected
\nto start soon.<\/p>\n
Council chairman Gen. Subagyo Hadisiswoyo said Monday that the
\nabductions of political activists were not ordered by ABRI's top
\nbrass, but were carried out through Prabowo's interpretation of
\nhis superior's instructions.<\/p>\n
Subagyo, who is also Army chief of staff, said Prabowo's
\ninstructions were only to transfer troops to another military
\nunit and monitor the moves of political activists, especially in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
In a related development yesterday, relatives of 12 activists
\nreportedly still missing went to the Army's headquarters to ask
\nthe Honor Council for information on the whereabouts of their
\nloved ones.<\/p>\n
Among the relatives were the mother of Yani Avri, parents of
\nHerman Hendrawan, the sister of Noval and the sister of Dedy Umar
\nHamdun.<\/p>\n
They failed to meet Subagyo and were only received by
\nAssistant for Security Affairs to the Army chief Maj. Gen. Nur
\nAman.<\/p>\n
\"I'll forward your petition to the Honor Council chief,\" Aman
\nsaid. (imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/other-general-linked-to-activist-abductions-1447893297",
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