Buddhist monks complain of rights abuses in Walubi rift
JAKARTA (JP): A group of Buddhists monks and laypersons visited the headquarters of the National Commission on Human Rights yesterday to complain about alleged brutalities by opponents in the dispute befalling the Buddhist Council (Walubi).
"We are concerned with the inhumane treatment conducted by certain people who intend to protect their own vested interests," spokesperson Parwati Soepangat told the commission.
The delegation, including 13 monks, was met by commission members Nurcholish Madjid and Bambang W. Suharto.
Parwati said three members of Walubi's executive board were picked up and interrogated by members of the security agency on two separate occasions in July and August.
They were brutally treated, beaten, threatened and given electric shocks to force them to sign a letter of confession and apology in connection with the conflict in Walubi, she said.
Parwati, who was accompanied by thirteen monks and several lay Buddhists, believed the torturers "may have been ordered by intelligent agents" but stressed that "nonetheless it is not in line with our Pancasila culture".
The three detained and tortured were Tjoetjoe Ali Hartono, Kittinanda and Pramana Winardi.
Parwati said she believed the incident is closely linked with the prolonged dispute within Walubi.
The council was split after its last national congress in December 1993 ended in a deadlock. A power struggle has ensued since then with one camp trying to oust the other.
One camp, led by Bhikku (priest) Girirakkhito Maha Thera gained the upper hand and received the support of the government. It also appointed Budi Setiawan, who is the director of Buddhism at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, as secretary general and businesswoman S. Hartati Murdaya to head the council's honorary board.
The other camp, led by Tjoetjoe, Kittinanda and Pramana, declined to recognize Girirakkhito's leadership saying that he was installed with government support. They also said they have the support of the majority of the Buddhist community in Indonesia who abhorred any form of government intervention.
Parwati said no arrest warrants were issued in connection with the detention of the three Board members in July and August.
KCBI
In separate interrogations, each one was forced to sign a letter admitting they were wrong in publicly denouncing the establishment of the Family of Indonesian Buddhist Intellectuals (KCBI) in July.
Their written apology later appeared in several media issues.
The KCBI, chaired by Murdaya, took part last month in a seminar on human resources development which was jointly organized by intellectual groupings from other religions.
Commission members said they would make efforts to solve the violation of human rights but stressed they would not interfere with Walubi's internal problems.
"Our stand in this case of human rights violation is clear," Nurcholish said.
He welcomed the suggestion that Tjoetjoe Ali Hartono, Kittinanda and Pramana Winardi meet the Commission themselves.
Last month, Bhikku Girirakkhito, in an attempt to widen his influence over Walubi, convened a meeting with leaders of all the nine Buddhist denominations at the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
He pleaded to the leaders to unite behind him and forge unity among all the Buddhist people in Indonesia. (pwn)