Former VP testifies in Priok trial

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Former Jakarta Military commander Gen. (ret) Try Sutrisno appeared in court on Monday to testify in an ad hoc rights tribunal against Rudolf Butar-Butar, a retired general charged with crimes against humanity for his role in the bloody 1984 Tanjung Priok massacre.

In his testimony, Try defended his soldiers' actions, saying the deaths of protesting Muslims at Tanjung Priok was inevitable, as they had turned into a mob that was deemed a security threat to vital public facilities.

Try said he was morally responsible for the bloodshed that had taken place and asked families of the victims to forget the past. "As a commander, I was morally responsible for the incident, which means that I am deeply sorry for the shooting of the protesters," he told the court.

However, Try said that a commander could not be held responsible for what happened in the field. "Let the court decide, because a father cannot be blamed for what his child does or vice versa," he said.

He said that the initiative for the Islamic reconciliation settlement, known as islah, came from families of the victims and did not involve the distribution of money.

Try, a former vice president during the iron-fisted administration of former president Soeharto, said each victim's family had received Rp 2 million (US$230) and other provisions to compensate for their loss.

Butar-Butar was a lieutenant colonel and headed the North Jakarta District Military Command when soldiers gunned down at least 14 Muslim protesters on Sept. 12, 1984.

Prosecutors accused him of failing to prevent or halt the killings of civilians when in fact he had full authority to prevent the crime from happening.

Thirteen other officers and soldiers have been charged with similar offenses. However, Try and LB Moerdani, the then Indonesian Military commander, have not been charged.

The trial was adjourned until Jan. 19.