Case of the lost witness
Case of the lost witness
The human tragedy that has for more than a decade been
ravaging Indonesia's westernmost province of Aceh, certainly
deserves serious consideration. However, recent developments have
made it difficult for one to avoid the impression that the
inquiry is beginning to take on the quality of a good thriller.
Just when the authorities appear finally to be ready to commence
legal proceedings against 20 military personnel and civilians
allegedly involved in the shooting of dozens of unarmed
civilians, in West Aceh in July last year, a key suspect in the
killings goes missing. Thus, an element of "mystery" is
introduced into the Aceh human rights drama, ushering in new
elements of suspicion, suspense and anticipation.
To summarize the case: In one of the most serious and most
visible of human rights abuses committed by the military in the
restive province in recent months, troops reportedly shot dead a
respected Acehnese Muslim religious teacher, Bantaqiah, his wife,
his students and dozens of farmers in the remote village of
Beutong, about 100 kilometers south of the industrial town of
Lhokseumawe.
Military authorities have since asserted that Bantaqiah and
his students were killed in an exchange of fire during a military
raid against rebel strongholds in the area. However, an
independent inquiry sanctioned by the government, quoted
witnesses as saying there was no resistance whatsoever from any
of the 65 people who were killed in the incident. Strong demands
for justice in this case have been voiced, both in Aceh and in
Jakarta, before initiating a wider investigation to unearth
evidence needed to bring earlier human rights abuses to court.
Initially scheduled to begin later this month, the trial of
those accused in the Beutong massacre was to be the first major
human rights trial to be opened in Aceh. Clearly, given the known
aspects of the tragedy, the available evidence, including witness
accounts and its relatively recent date, the trial is certain to
draw a great deal of attention, not only from the Acehnese, but
through the media, concerned Indonesians throughout the
archipelago, and possibly the world, as well.
During the past week, the first reports appeared in the press
in Jakarta that Sudjono was missing. On Wednesday, the spokesman
for the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), Air Rear Marshal Graito
Usodo, told reporters that the Army lieutenant-colonel, who was
chief of intelligence at the Lilawangsa Military Command
headquarters in Lhokseumawe at the time of the tragedy and who
has been named as one the primary suspects in the case, has been
missing since he deserted the Army on Jan. 18.
Sudjono's disappearance obviously raises a number of
questions. Where is he hiding, or being hidden? Who, if anyone,
helped him disappear? Is Sudjono merely trying to save his own
skin, or could there be a broader scenario behind his
disappearance? Only time can answer these questions. In the
meantime, though, Sudjono's disappearance is obviously putting a
wrench in the wheel of those who seek justice in Aceh. Under the
circumstances, one cannot help noting that apart from Sudjono
himself, who else will clearly benefit from his disappearance:
those who were allegedly involved in the killings; in other
words, the military.
Hence, one must forgive human rights activists such as Munir
and others for suggesting that Sudjono may have been abducted, or
otherwise sent missing, "to prevent him from uncovering the whole
of the military violence in Aceh." Whether or not this is true is
something for the authorities to find out. But more than any
other institution, it is the military, the TNI, which has the
greatest interest in finding the missing officer and presenting
him to the judiciary for due trial. Not only does its reputation
depend on it, but it has a responsibility to the nation to ensure
that justice is done in Aceh. Without this there may be no end to
the unrest -- either in Aceh or elsewhere in this archipelago.