Disabled cop fights for compensation

JAKARTA (JP): A retired police officer, left physically disabled from an act of retaliation allegedly committed by Army personnel, began a hunger strike on Friday to demand the National Police help cover his medical costs.

First Sgt. (ret) Mamat Soehermat, 49, who began his hunger strike at the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, threatened to starve himself to death unless the authorities paid attention to his plight.

Accompanied by his wife Mila Karmila, Mamat said he was left paralyzed along his right side after he was stabbed by four members of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) in Serang, Banten, West Java, in February 1986.

"I have undergone intensive medical treatment since and have spent millions of rupiah on medical bills. Unfortunately, I never received help from police headquarters."

Mamat said the assault grew out of a report that a police officer was assaulted by several Kopassus officers in a prostitution complex in Serang in December 1985.

He said he was assigned by the Banten Police detectives chief to search for the Kopassus officers in the complex.

Along with his colleagues, he arrested four of the soldiers, one of whom was identified as Mustofa, and found an FN gun in one of the brothel's rooms.

He recounted that two months later he was riding his motorcycle with two colleagues when they were stopped by the four soldiers, who were released soon after their arrest, in an area near Merak bus terminal.

Mustofa and his accomplices attacked Mamat and stabbed him in the back of his neck and chest, he alleged.

He said the soldiers left him to die of his injuries.

Locals found Mamat and reported the incident to the nearby police station. Officers took him to Kramatjati Police Hospital in East Jakarta.

Mamat was subsequently transferred to Gatot Subroto Army Hospital on Jl. Gatot Subroto in Central Jakarta because of the seriousness of his wounds.

"I was treated at the army hospital for almost nine months. I heard that the soldiers we arrested were never detained," the father of six said.

He later was informed that the then Banten Police chief, Col. Banurusman, closed the case for unspecified reasons.

Mamat said he was forced to use his savings to cover his extensive medical bills.

"I have lost my two houses and now I still owe about Rp 3 million (US$394) to a bank."

Mamat said Rp 250,000 of his Rp 400,000 monthly pension went to debt installment payments.

"Now I'm told that I have to undergo surgery for my injured neck at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital. The surgery reportedly costs about Rp 2 million," he said.

"However, as I have nothing now, I will go on a hunger strike until death. I will stop only if the authorities help me and investigate the soldiers who stabbed me," he added.(jun)