Bold Priok victims want to testify

JAKARTA: A number of witnesses who were victims of the 1984 Tanjung Priok massacre demanded they be given a chance to testify at the ad hoc human rights tribunal, where a number of the prosecution's witnesses have rescinded earlier testimony.

The victim's group, currently being represented by the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), said the weak testimonies given so far could allow the judges to acquit the generals standing trial for their role in the shooting, which left dozens of citizens dead.

"We have systematically been sidelined from the trial and we believe that it is part of efforts to clear the names of the generals who have been indicted," one of the victims, Husein Safei, said. -- JP