Five policemen questioned for beating demonstrators
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The police admitted on Wednesday that some officers were out of control when they beat and kicked students during Tuesday's demonstration to mark the fall of former authoritarian president Soeharto.
"Yes, we admit that some police officers were out of control (in beating and kicking the demonstrators) when dealing with the demonstration on Tuesday," City Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam told The Jakarta Post.
Police officers, as public servants, should handle demonstrations in a less violent manner, Anton said.
"We've identified five officers who were out of control during the incident. They've been questioned by the Central Jakarta Police provost," Anton said.
He refused to name them, but he said that if found guilty they would be punished according to the prevailing law.
Clashes between police officers and at least 150 student demonstrators of Jarkot (Jakarta Network) occurred at two locations on Tuesday, namely Jl. Diponegoro, in front of Megaria theater in Central Jakarta and on Jl. Suwiryo, adjacent to Jl. Cendana, the residence of Soeharto in Central Jakarta.
The rally, which was organized to mark the fourth anniversary of the fall of the former New Order authoritarian leader, was tainted with violence after the demonstrators pelted the officers with Molotov cocktails, according to the police.
The incident apparently provoked the police to take tough action against the students. At least five were injured during the incident.
Police detained 40 students for questioning and confiscated 17 Molotov cocktails and banners. Elsinta radio reported on Tuesday evening that the beating and kicking of the demonstrators by police officers continued after their arrival at the City Police headquarters.
The demonstrators are accused of opposing police officers on duty. According to Article 214 of the Criminal Code, such a crime is punishable by a maximum of seven years' imprisonment.
Meanwhile, Jarkot spokesman Rey Christian said they were still considering whether or not to take legal action against the police officers over the beating.
"We are undecided over the matter. We are still discussing it with the victims' families and our team of lawyers," said Rey.
Reinhard Parapat, a lawyer of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) revealed that his team of lawyers would back the demonstrators should they file a complaint against the police officers over the beating and violence.
"We are determined to defend the students if they propose to lodge a complaint over their "barbaric" treatment by police officers during the incident," Reinhard told the Post.
Reinhard also denied that the seized Molotov cocktails belonged to the students. Instead, he alleged that they had been planted in the students' bags to justify the repressive action by the police.
"That's an old-fashioned way of justifying their action, to clamp down violently on the students' peaceful rally," Reinhard asserted.