Criminals file police abuse claims
Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Purwokerto
More of the suspected criminals who were shot recently by police in the Central Java city of Purworkerto while allegedly attempting to evade arrest, have submitted complaints to the regency legislative council (DPRD) and the Legal Aid and Consultation Bureau at Jendral Soedirman University.
Parents of the six victims accused the local police of having violated standing procedures when they opened fire on the victims in an attempt, according to the police, to stop them fleeing.
The move followed recent protests by two other victims -- Abdul Hakim, 19, and Bambang Gestianto, 20 -- who lodged similar complaints with the Kosgoro Legal Aid Institute in Purwokerto.
Bambang's father Nasum Sugeng Rahardi, 47, also wrote to President Megawati Soekarnoputri last week to protest against the "illegal" shooting of his son.
"Following these cruel actions by the Banyumas police, we are asking President Megawati to ensure we receive justice," said his two-page letter to the President.
Copies of the letter were also sent to People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien Rais and House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung, as well as Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra.
Nasum accompanied the parents of the six latest victims on Monday as they filed similar complaints with the legislative council and the Legal Aid and Consultation Bureau at the Purwokerto-based university.
Police in Purwokerto, the capital of Banyumas, shot at least 14 crime suspects, mostly in the legs, between August and December of last year.
The police claimed the victims were shot as they had attempted to evade arrest. The victims, however, denied this.
Several of the victims claimed the police had shot them even though they were handcuffed or blindfolded.
The parents of the victims demanded that the prosecutorial authorities take legal action against the police for allegedly illegally wounding their children.
The Banyumas Police have apparently been enraged by the parents' move.
On Monday, the police summoned Nasum for questioning following his complaint to Megawati. He now stands accused of tarnishing their image and damaging their reputation by bringing the case to the attention of the President.
Nasum, however, defied the summons, saying he needed to meet with local legislators first.
"Why should I be accused of tarnishing the good name of the police while we, as ordinary people, are only protesting the unjust treatment they have meted out to us?" he asked during his meeting with members of the Banyumas legislative council.
When asked to respond to Nasum's complaints, Central Java Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Ramli El Aris said all citizens had the right to report any actions they felt had prejudiced them to the relevant authorities, including the President.
He said any such complaint could not be categorized as an attempt to damage the police's reputation. "Leave the case to the court to decide who is right and who is wrong," Ramli added.
Banyumas District Military Commander Col. Mufad Santoto has pledged to investigate whether the shooting of the 14 suspected criminals complied with or breached procedures, and to take the cases before a military tribunal.
"We have received the complaints and we have instructed our personnel to immediately process them. We will not discriminate against any of the parties involved," Mufad added.
He asked the police to cooperate by providing the names of the officers involved in the shootings.