Trisakti and Semanggi inquiry result accepted<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
More Indonesian Military (TNI) top brass look set to face the
\nsecond human rights tribunal in the country's history since the
\nEast Timor massacre after Komnas HAM accepted on Monday the
\nresult of the inquiry into three high profile incidents in
\nJakarta in 1998 and 1999.<\/p>\n
After more than three weeks of uncertainty, the National
\nCommission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) unanimously approved the
\ninquiry report, which recommends formal investigation into
\nseveral TNI and police officers over their alleged role in the
\ngross human violations that took place in the clashes between
\nstudents and security troops in Trisakti University in May 1998
\nand nearby Semanggi cloverleaf in November 1998 and September
\n1999.<\/p>\n
Komnas HAM chairman Djoko Soegianto said the recommendations
\nwould be submitted to the Attorney General's Office for formal
\ninvestigation.<\/p>\n
\"No correction nor changes were made to the inquiry report.
\nThe case, in accordance with the human rights trial law, will be
\nsubmitted to the Attorney General's Office within seven days,\"
\nDjoko told reporters after the three-hour plenary meeting.<\/p>\n
The special session was held -- after two delays -- in order
\nto assess whether the report was substantial enough in finding
\nthat the security authorities had committed crimes against
\nhumanity in the incidents.<\/p>\n
The now-defunct inquiry team, that comprised Komnas HAM
\nmembers and other human rights activists, submitted their
\nfindings into the three cases of violence that claimed dozens of
\nlives to the rights commission last month.<\/p>\n
Four Trisakti University students were shot to death in May
\n1998 after they held a demonstration against Soeharto's New Order
\nregime. Their death triggered riots across the country that led
\nto the fall of the former president.<\/p>\n
The Semanggi I and II incidents took place during the brief
\ntenure of B.J. Habibie, Soeharto's successor. More than a dozen
\npeople were killed in the two cases, when security troops quelled
\nthousands of protesters who demanded sweeping reforms.<\/p>\n
The inquiry identified 50 high and middle-ranking military and
\npolice officers believed to be involved in the killings, and
\ndemanded they be charged with crimes against humanity.<\/p>\n
One high-ranking military officer and two high-ranking police
\nofficers were accused of involvement at a strategic level, 11
\nhigh and middle-ranking officers at the operation command level
\nwith 36 middle-ranking officers at the field command level.<\/p>\n
A number of retired and active military and police top brass,
\nincluding former Indonesian Military chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto and
\nformer National Police chief Gen. (ret) Roesdihardjo were
\nsummoned several times by the inquiry for questioning. They
\nrefused to appear on the grounds that the inquiry lacked a legal
\nfoundation.<\/p>\n
Following its own investigation, the House of Representatives
\ndeclared that the incidents were not classified as gross human
\nrights violations.<\/p>\n
But the Komnas HAM-sanctioned inquiry team concluded that the
\nsecurity officers were fully involved in the killings and used
\nboth power and weapons \"in an excessive way for the sake of
\ncertain political interests\".<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/trisakti-and-semanggi-inquiry-result-accepted-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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