Doubt cast on military police investigation

Doubt cast on military police investigation

JAKARTA (JP): A human rights activist said on Friday that he
doubted the military police would thoroughly investigate
allegations that one of its members had recruited an informer to
spy on student demonstrators during the recent Special Session of
the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

Munir from the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of
Violence (Kontras) told a media conference that a thorough
investigation into the case would be like "revealing their own
wounds."

Munir was referring to Thursday's face-to-face meeting between
Wiwid Pratiwo, 21, and second private Budi Leksono, a military
police officer assigned to the presidential guard. Wiwid said
that Budi forced him to become an informer under the threat of
violence. During the meeting organized by the military police,
Budi confirmed that he knew Wiwid but denied that he had
recruited him as a spy.

"We knew from the beginning that this case would not be
thoroughly investigated because it involves one of their own
kind," Munir said, noting that military police officers had been
much more cooperative over the matter of missing political
activists.

What was important, Munir said, was to bring an end to the
practice of recruiting civilians to undertake duties that should
be the military's responsibility.

Munir said that Wiwid was one of many vulnerable people the
military has exploited in the course of security operations.

On Nov. 21, Wiwid told the National Commission on Human Rights
on that Budi had forced him into becoming an informer on the
student movement. He was then sent to recruit civilian guards to
police the streets during the special session of the MPR.

Wiwid, who said he was a Trisakti University student, was
apprehended by students at the university on Nov. 15 after they
became suspicious of his activities.

He also claimed Budi warned him several hours in advance that
a "shooting spree" would take place near the Semanggi cloverleaf
on Nov. 13.

Students protesting against the special session clashed with
security personnel in Jakarta on Nov. 12 and Nov. 13, leaving 16
people dead and more than 400 injured. (byg)