Amien visits Kontras' 'camp of concern' at LBH
Amien visits Kontras' 'camp of concern' at LBH
JAKARTA (JP): Amien Rais visited on Tuesday the "camp of
concern" set up by families of missing activists and the
independent Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of
Violence (Kontras) on the grounds of the Indonesian Legal Aid
Institute office in Central Jakarta.
"If (President B.J.) Habibie does not want to be called a mere
extension of Soeharto, he must be brave enough to bring Prabowo
before a military court," Amien told relatives of those missing
and activists gathered at the camp. He was referring to Lt. Gen.
(ret) Prabowo Subianto, former commander of the Army's Special
Force (Kopassus) who was dismissed after he admitted to
involvement in the abduction of nine activists.
Amien promised to soon write to the President, Minister of
Defense and Security/Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto,
Minister of Justice Muladi, Attorney General Andi Muhammad Ghalib
and National Police chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi to demand that
they pay serious attention to efforts made to find activists who
are still missing.
Families of the missing activists met with Amien and ousted
leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party Megawati Soekarnoputri
to seek moral support last week.
"Rallies demanding word on the fate of these 14 activists
should be carried out again and again and again," Amien said to
the cheers of the crowd present.
Kontras claims that at least 24 activists have gone missing
since April last year. Nine resurfaced after several months and
talked of abduction and of torture during their time in
detention; one was found dead in May while the rest remain
unaccounted for.
Amid mountinglj public pressure to find those still missing,
ABRI announced the alleged involvement of Kopassus members in the
abductions of political activists in July.
Wiranto then discharged Prabowo and removed two senior
Kopassus officers from active duty last month for their
involvement in the abductions.
Eleven other Kopassus members will be court-martialled for
their alleged involvement in the abduction and torture of
political activists. (byg)