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)