DNA tests to be used in abortion inquiry

JAKARTA (JP): DNA tests will be conducted on several women to determine if they are the mothers of 11 aborted babies and fetuses found dumped in North Jakarta last month, City Police chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata announced Saturday.

The women are believed to have had abortions at two clinics alleged to have dumped the remains, and the police will use any positive DNA matches to prosecute the facilities' owners, Hamami said.

Women confirmed to have had abortions would be called as witnesses in any subsequent court case, he added.

Tests will be conducted with assistance from an expert at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital. Hamami did not disclose how many women would be tested.

"We'll announce the results of the tests as soon as possible," he said.

Police are investigating alleged abortion practices at the Fajar Pengharapan and Amalia clinics in Tanah Tinggi, Central Jakarta.

Chief of City Police Detectives, Col. Gories Mere, confirmed the police would soon formally request the assistance of Dr. Djaja Surya Atmaja, believed to be the only medical practitioner in the country qualified to do the tests.

"We hope the examination will enable us to make an accurate investigation to clarify matters," he said.

Gories said the police would pay for the tests despite their high cost of Rp 800,000 (US$205) each.

"We need the tests, so we'll pay their costs."

Djaja said last week that he had taken DNA samples from five of the bodies found at a garbage dump in Warakas, North Jakarta. The remains had been transferred to Cipto Mangunkusumo.

"I can apply the same procedure for the other babies. But that will cost a lot. I think the DNA from the five babies will do for the investigation," he said.

He said he was ready to test the women, and added that full DNA testing would take about two weeks.

Gories said his office had yet to summon the women. "But we'll soon call them. We have their names and addresses from the admission books we seized from the two abortion clinics."

Gories said 16 people, including two doctors and two nurses who were also the owners of the clinics, had been arrested for suspected involvement in the dumping and alleged abortions conducted on the premises.

He said they would be charged under Article 348 of the Criminal Code for willfully assisting a woman in aborting her baby. Each faces a maximum jail sentence of five years and six months if convicted. (cst)