Explosion at rights activist's home

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A package exploded on Friday in the front yard of the residence of well-known human rights activist Munir on Jl. Cendana XII No. 12 in the Jaka Sampurna housing complex, South Bekasi.

The package was one of two that had been placed in the front yard only 1.5 meters from the front door of Munir's house by a person or persons unknown.

Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara confirmed that there had been an explosion, but said police were still investigating whether the it was produced by a bomb or a large firecracker.

"This is terror, and is aimed purely and simply at frightening people," Makbul said, while declining to blame the blast on any particular group or to speculate on the motive behind the blast.

The package blew up at around 10 a.m., but no injuries or damage resulted.

Munir is in Bangkok, attending an international conference on missing persons and the victims of violence.

When asked about the incident, Makbul replied, "That doesn't sound like a bomb. It must have been a powerful firecracker."

Munir, who has long been highly critical of human rights abuses and violence in the country, has been the target of several attacks.

In May of this year, about 100 members of a "youth organization" known as Pemuda Panca Marga, a staunchly nationalistic group whose members are the children of former soldiers, attacked the offices of a local human rights watchdog, the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras). Munir is one of the founders of the organization. Five staff members were assaulted, while the offices were vandalized.

A bomb was also planted at Munir's family home in Malang, East Java, in 2001, but it failed to detonate.