Policemen on trial for Trisakti killings<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): After almost three years, the Military Tribunal
\ncommenced on Monday the trial of nine low-ranking police officers
\nfor their alleged role in the shooting of students from Trisakti
\nUniversity, an incident that sparked massive riots and forced
\nformer President Soeharto to step down in disgrace.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor Let. Col. Taufik Rachman initially named 11
\ndefendants in the case. But two defendants, First Adj. Brig. Idad
\nMusadad, 26, and Second Brig. Dominggus Pinto, 26, failed to
\nappear due for differing reasons: Idad was killed in a traffic
\naccident, while Dominggus, deserted and returned to East Timor
\nafter the territory won its independence in 1999.<\/p>\n
The nine were Second Insp. Erick Kadir Sully, 27, Second Brig.
\nRaul Da Costa, 25, First Adj. Brig. Suparwanto, 26, Second Brig.
\nJoko Irwanto, 24, Second Brig. Tedy Iskandar, 25, Second Brig.
\nAnang Yulianto, 25, Second Brig. Cahyo Nugroho, 24, First Adj.
\nBrig. Langgeng Sugiarto, 24, and First. Adj. Brig. Santoso, 25.<\/p>\n
On May 12, 1998, the defendants, along with other security
\npersonnel, were stationed at the Grogol flyover to guard the
\nstudents, who at the time had held demonstrations both inside and
\nin front of the Trisakti University campus at Jl. Let. Gen. S.
\nParman, West Jakarta, the prosecutor said.<\/p>\n
"The defendants were among security personnel who opened fire
\nwithout orders from their superior causing the death of four
\nstudents," he told the court, presided over by Let. Col. A.R.
\nTampubolon.<\/p>\n
Taufik charged the defendants with violating Article 338 of
\nthe Criminal Code on premeditated murder, which carries a maximum
\npenalty of 15 years in prison, or alternatively charges for
\nviolating Article 351 line (3) on assault leading to death, which
\ncarries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison.<\/p>\n
The Trisakti incident centered around a series of anti-
\ngovernment rallies held by students in several regions, demanding
\nthen president Soeharto, who was in power for 32 years, to
\nresign.<\/p>\n
Four students, Elang Mulya Lesmana, Hery Hartanto, Hendriawan
\nSie and Hafidhin Royan, were killed in the incident, which was
\nfollowed by two days of widespread rioting in the capital that
\nincluded the burning and looting of shops and businesses, which
\nleft hundreds of people dead.<\/p>\n
The court had sentenced two police officers on Aug. 12, 1998
\nto 10 months and four months in jail respectively for ordering
\nthe shooting at the crowd. But none of the military officers have
\nbeen sent to court.<\/p>\n
The defendants' lawyer, Hotma Sitompul, told the media that
\nthe accusation was unclear, because prosecutors failed to decide
\nwhether the bullets belonging to the defendants caused the
\nstudents' deaths.<\/p>\n
The trial was also attended by about 30 students who
\ndistributed leaflets asking high-ranking officers, such as former
\nIndonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Wiranto and former National
\nPolice chief Gen. Dibyo Widodo, who were allegedly involved in
\nthe shooting, to be tried at a human rights tribunal.<\/p>\n
Judge Tampubolon adjourned the trial until June, 28 to hear
\nthe response of the defendants' lawyer.(02)<\/p>",
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