The beginning or the end?<\/p>\n
The murderer of Munir has been found guilty. Pending his
\nappeal, Pollycarpus B. Priyanto is facing a 14-year incarceration
\nfor lacing the activist's food with arsenic during a flight to
\nAmsterdam in September.<\/p>\n
Two Garuda cabin crew members also face separate trials for
\ntheir alleged roles in the murder.<\/p>\n
Though Pollycarpus continues to plead innocence, the Central
\nJakarta Court on Tuesday found the prosecution's case
\noverwhelmingly convincing.<\/p>\n
But the most striking outcome of this high profile case was
\nnot in the verdict itself but the failure to clearly establish a
\npossible link between Pollycarpus and darker forces strongly
\nsuspected of being behind the murder.<\/p>\n
Judges stopped short of expressing their belief that the
\ndefendant was part of a larger conspiracy to assassinate the
\noutspoken critic of the Soeharto regime, the National
\nIntelligence Agency and the Indonesian Military. They did,
\nhowever, urge investigations to be pursued further.<\/p>\n
Following the prosecution's lead, the court concluded that the
\nmotive for the murder was to silence Munir's criticism of the
\nmilitary and the government.<\/p>\n
Despite the conclusion of the case, the most intriguing
\nquestion -- raised by Pollycarpus himself during proceedings --
\nwas left unanswered: \"What makes Munir so significant for me that
\nI had to kill him?\"<\/p>\n
Why indeed?<\/p>\n
This was no ordinary crime of passion. It was a calculated
\nexecution of a man who had been a thorn on the side of despots
\nand military rulers.<\/p>\n
It is almost absurd to think that a regular Garuda pilot would
\nact in measured revenge for his simple devotion to autocrats.<\/p>\n
Though they remarked in the most vague terms, it was clear
\nthat judges also agreed that the defendant was part of a more
\nsinister plot, which may involve more powerful individuals or
\ninstitutions.<\/p>\n
Once again, Pollycarpus' assertion of being a \"scapegoat\"
\nrightly daunt this case from closure.<\/p>\n
A government-sanctioned team in its earlier investigation
\nfound strong evidence to suggest that Pollycarpus had been in
\ncontact with state intelligence agency officers ahead of the
\nmurder. They also found that he had frequently been associated
\nwith various activities that were unusual for a commercial pilot.<\/p>\n
We welcome a statement by the National Police expressing their
\ndetermination to continue the investigation. But given the
\nsinister elements suspected to be behind the murder, we reserve
\njudgment on its candor and effectiveness.<\/p>\n
There have been too many cases of assassination, kidnapping
\nand torture which remain unresolved -- not because of a lack of
\ncompelling evidence, but a lack of political will.<\/p>\n
We commend the civil society network, which has continued to
\nkeep this particular case high on the agenda. Our hope is that
\nthe public will throw its support behind resolving this murder,
\nfinding justice and allowing Munir's memory to rest in peace.<\/p>\n
It's about doing the right thing.<\/p>\n
For many years Munir stood among the lonely few doing the
\nright thing, although most of us were oblivious to the great
\ninjustice and the persecutions going on around us.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, Munir may have paid the price for being in the
\nvanguard of righteousness.<\/p>\n
It is now our time to defend Munir's memory and bring peace of
\nmind to his widow and child.<\/p>\n
The conviction of Pollycarpus should not be the end of the
\ncase. It is merely the beginning to exposing the great sins of
\ncrimes against humanity perpetrated under the guise of national
\ninterest, and at the expense of regular Indonesians.<\/p>\n
We should also see through any government moves to promote
\nPollycarpus' conviction as a step toward a proper protection of
\nhuman rights or to holding the elite accountable.<\/p>\n
The investigation and prosecution was not even the least they
\ncould do. The bare minimum of executive action remains wanting.<\/p>\n
We cannot let this case die, like Munir did. Instead it must
\nbe the beginning of a grisly end -- to impunity, subversion and
\nstate-sponsored terror.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-beginning-or-the-end-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}