A laudable step forward

A laudable step forward

News that five officers of the Army's special force (Kopassus)
have been detained and that two other Kopassus members are under
intensive investigation in connection with the abduction of
political activists brings fresh hope to Indonesia's crisis-
stricken community that the goal of building a peaceful, orderly
society based on respect for the law is not too far-fetched after
all.

Not that the disclosure of the involvement of Kopassus members
comes as a surprise. The fact is that all the clues revealed so
far through the accounts of released activists seemed to point to
only one direction -- that of the Army's elite Kopassus.

Though the name Kopassus was never openly mentioned in the
accounts and though the victims were never given a chance to see
their abductors, the great efficiency in which the operations
were carried out and the ease with which the victims were held
captive or later moved elsewhere gave an indication that the
kidnappings, or enforced disappearances, could only have been
carried out by trained professionals backed by an efficient and
powerful organization.

Only a very limited number of Armed Forces personnel are
believed to have had the kind of training and possess the power
and organization necessary to ensure the success of such special
operations. Again, the best bet here would be those whose job
requires those particular skills, the training and the mobility
displayed by the abductors -- the special force.

In fact, a report published in The Washington Post and quoted
by the wire service Agence France Presse some time ago mentioned
not only Kopassus in connection with the disappearances, but the
specific group within Kopassus whose members were said to be
responsible. The report also said the American Defense Department
was aware of the abductions even at the time they were taking
place.

The important point is that it takes a good deal of moral
courage as well as a strong commitment for ABRI to accept the
blame for an offense so serious as the enforced disappearance of
scores of political activists, some of whom remain missing to
this day. In the past, a case such as this would most probably
have remained an unresolved dark secret. Far from diminishing its
prestige, therefore, ABRI's responsive handling of the case of
the enforced disappearances has boosted its stature and imparts a
greater sense of lawfulness and security among the population.
For ordinary Indonesians it is encouraging to see that the
present ABRI leadership appears sincere in upholding its stated
determination to reestablish law and order in this country.

Nonetheless, it is important to remember that the job is far
from finished. Although in official ABRI statements regarding the
abductions, the blame has so far been placed on oknum
(independent individuals) in an apparent attempt to contain the
scope of the issue, it is clear that political motivations exist.
To be satisfactory, therefore, a thorough solution of the case is
imperative, including court disclosure of the brains behind the
plot and the political objectives involved.

Of no less importance, those still missing must be found.
Their fate must be revealed. The May 12 Trisakti shooting mystery
in which four students lost their lives must be properly resolved
and legal action must be taken accordingly. To complicate matters
further, rightly or wrongly, the public suspects a link exists
between the abduction of activists, the May 12 Trisakti shooting
incident, the May 13 and May 14 riots and the rapes that have
recently come to light. In other words, many people believe all
the incidents are related and were masterminded by the same
people for the same objectives.

It does not take extraordinary imagination to see that a
solution that satisfies the public is imperative if peace and
order are to be effectively restored. Considering what is at
stake, no effort must be spared to bring all those outstanding
issues to a satisfactory solution.