Families protest fatal shootings

Families protest fatal shootings

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Military Police was urged on
Thursday to step up its efforts to reveal the names of military
members believed to have been involved in tragic incidents in the
capital, ranging from last year's May riots to the Trisakti and
Semanggi fatal shootings.

Approximately 50 members of the victims' families staged a
sit-in in front of Military Police Headquarters in Manggarai,
South Jakarta, to press their demands.

Scores of university students and several staff members from
the Volunteers Team for Humanity joined the protesters, grouped
under the Association of the Victims of Political Violence.

The protesters included parents of the students killed in the
fatal shootings.

"The protesters urged the military police to bring the
shooters responsible for the Semanggi and Trisakti incidents and
also the actors behind the May riots to court," Father Sandyawan
Sumardi of the team told The Jakarta Post.

They also demanded the government compensate the victims for
all medical expenses, he said.

Sandyawan said members of the victims' families had hoped to
meet city Military Police commandant Col. Mungkono Mursidi, but
failed as the commandant apparently refused their request.

"The commandant did not show up until 5 p.m.," he said, adding
that the families insisted on continuing in their efforts to meet
with him.

The protesters did not air any speeches during the protest and
tried to be "accommodative" toward the military police officers.

In the Trisakti and Semanggi shooting incidents, which
occurred in May and November last year respectively, several
students were killed. Military personnel are believed to be
behind the incidents. (asa)