Another activist tells story of abduction

Another activist tells story of abduction

JAKARTA (JP): While investigations seem to be focussing on the
involvement of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) in the
abduction of activists, witnesses maintain that other military
units were also involved in various abductions.

Hendrik Sirait, one of the released abducted activists, claims
he was abducted by intelligence officers from the Jakarta
Military Command in Central Jakarta on Aug. 1, 1996.

"I was abducted by three people under the pedestrian bridge in
front of Gajah Mada Plaza after attending Megawati's lawsuit
hearing against the government in the Central Jakarta District
Court," he recounted to journalists here Monday.

Hendrik, 26, is the coordinator of the People's Democratic
Alliance (ALDERA).

He said that before being taken away, he was beaten up by the
three plainclothes men.

The incident attracted the attention of two uniformed military
personnel who happened to be passing by. They, however, proceeded
to help in the beating after briefly conversing with the three
men.

Hendrik said he was then shoved into a car and taken to a
detention site on Jl. Kramat VII in Central Jakarta, where he was
accused of inciting the July 27 riot following the forceful
takeover of Megawati Soekarnoputri's party headquarters.

"I was beaten up, electrocuted in both of my ears and thumbs
and my head was slammed against the wall during the
interrogation," Hendrik said, adding that his abductors also
burned parts of his body with cigarette butts.

Hendrik said he saw "Military Command Intelligence" inscribed
on a typewriter used by the abductors during the interrogation.

Hendrik, a political science student at National University in
South Jakarta, said he was then handed over to police five days
later and released on Aug. 27.

"I felt that the police at that time were very angry because
they had been made to take the blame (for my disappearance),"
Hendrik said.

National Military Police Chief Maj. Gen. Syamsu Djalal said
last month that other units might have been involved in the
"process" of the abductions.

Munir, of the independent Commission for Missing Persons and
Victims of Violence (Kontras), said Monday that a court-martial
on the case should not begin until a military fact-finding team
fully investigated other military units for their alleged
involvement in the abductions.

Kontras, an non-governmental organization which has been
actively searching for missing activists, said that at least 21
activists had been abducted since April last year. Nine of them,
however, have resurfaced. (byg)