Soldiers on trial for shooting of Madurese<\/p>\n
SURABAYA (JP): The long-awaited military tribunals for four
\nsoldiers allegedly responsible for the 1993 fatal shooting of
\nfour villagers of Nipah, Madura, began here yesterday.<\/p>\n
Military prosecutor Lt. Col. R.X. Sukirman is seeking a four-
\nyear sentence for one of the soldiers, former chief of the
\nBanyuates military resort Second Lt. Djakfar Sudjak.<\/p>\n
Sudjak allegedly abandoned his post, a crime punishable with
\nfour years imprisonment. He was also accused of neglecting his
\nduty of briefing his men about the extent of permitted security
\nmeasures in the event of clashes with the villagers, who at the
\ntime were upset over the planned appropriation of their land.<\/p>\n
The negligence eventually caused the subordinates to commit
\nthe shooting of the villagers, the prosecutor charged.<\/p>\n
Sudjak's superior, chief of the military command of Sampang
\nLt. Col. Sugeng Wiyono, had reportedly outlined the type of
\nmilitary measures that Sudjak and his 19 men were supposed to
\nhave taken to safeguard security in the area.<\/p>\n
The prosecutor said Sudjak failed to brief his men about
\nSugeng's orders. This is a crime punishable with a maximum
\nsentence of two years and four months.<\/p>\n
The other defendants are First PFC Siswanto, Chief Sergeant M.
\nSaid Riyadi and 2nd Sergeant Bambang Edy Cahyono.<\/p>\n
The tightly-guarded court-room was packed with villagers who
\nhad been demanding such a tribunal since the incident.<\/p>\n
The session was presided over by a panel of judges led by
\nJudge Lt. Col. Hadi Setyanto.<\/p>\n
Three men and a woman from the village on Madura Island were
\nkilled in Sept. 1993 when troops opened fire on locals protesting
\nagainst a government team measuring land to be appropriated for a
\nreservoir.<\/p>\n
The planned dam, which was to submerge 170 hectares of land
\nbelonging to some 240 families of farmers, was expected to
\nirrigate over 1,000 hectares of rice paddies. The project was
\nshelved in the wake of the incident, but villagers reportedly
\nstill witness local authorities proceeding with topographic
\nmeasurements.<\/p>\n
According to the prosecutor, Sudjak left his post by some 500
\nmeters to approach a mob of 1,000 angry villagers.<\/p>\n
One of the villagers reportedly threw a spear at First
\nCorporal Kasimun. Said Riyadi and Siswanto then opened fire on
\nthe mob from a distance of about 13 meters, while Bambang Edi
\nCahyono shot toward a tree surrounded by the villagers.<\/p>\n
Sudjak himself reportedly gave three warning shots.<\/p>\n
\"But because of the defendant's failure to brief his
\nsubordinates, the three other defendants then ... targeted the
\nvillagers,\" the prosecutor said.<\/p>\n
The four soldiers have been suspects in the case all along,
\nbut they had never been detained. Lt. Col. Eddy S. who acts as
\nthe supervisor of the court session, said the four were not
\nconsidered to be a danger to anyone.<\/p>\n
Eddy also exempted Sudjak's superior, Sugeng Wiyono, and said
\nthat the incident took place solely because of Sudjak's failure
\nto follow orders.<\/p>\n
Sugeng, however, will appear as a witness in the case. The
\ntrial continues. (15\/31)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/soldiers-on-trial-for-shooting-of-madurese-1447893297",
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