Govt launches investigation into May riots
Govt launches investigation into May riots
JAKARTA (JP): The government announced yesterday its much-
awaited team to investigate the massive May riots in Jakarta and
other cities which left 1,200 people killed, more than 160 women
violated and led to the downfall of president Soeharto.
The team includes representatives from the Armed Forces,
government agencies, the National Commission on Human Rights and
other non-governmental organizations. The members have been given
three months to report to their respective superiors.
"The team will unveil the truth behind the riots... and it
should be independent," said Minister of Justice Muladi, who was
one of six officials to sign the decree on the team's
establishment, at its inauguration at his ministry in Kuningan,
South Jakarta.
The other five officials were Minister of Defense and
Security/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto, Minister of Home
Affairs Syarwan Hamid, Attorney General Muhammad Ghalib and
representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the
Office of State Minister of Women's Affairs.
Among the 19 members of the team, which will be financed by
the State Secretariat, are deputy chairman of the rights body
Marzuki Darusman, commission members Asmara Nababan, Saparinah
Sadli and Bambang W. Soeharto, and Bambang Widjojanto of the
Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation.
The team also includes Ita Fatia Nadia of the women's rights
group Kalyanamitra, Nursyahbani Katjasungkana of the Indonesian
Women's Association for Justice, lawyer Abdul Hakim Garuda
Nusantara from the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy,
Catholic priest Sandyawan Sumardi of the Volunteers of Humanity
and Maj. Gen. Syamsu Djalal, the National Military Police
commander.
"This joint decree demonstrates a strong will on the part of
all components of the nation to unveil the truth behind the riots
in May," Wiranto told reporters after the ceremony.
"We hope for the full support from all parties in order to
finish our task with honesty and transparency, free from any
political or group interests, " he added.
He also said that reports from the Volunteers of Humanity will
be used as the basic information for further investigations.
It was this group that first reported that the May 13 to May
15 rioting was incited by people who appeared to have been well
organized, and that hundreds of women were gang raped.
Sandyawan, however, aired doubts about the independence of the
team.
"The Volunteers of Humanity has been included in the team and
we will of course ask for the promised independence of the team,"
Sandyawan said.
Latest data from the group said 1,190 people died after being
trapped and burned during fires and 27 died from gunshot wounds.
Thirty-one people are classified as missing, 91 were wounded and
168 women raped and sexually assaulted, of whom 20 died or
committed suicide.
Bambang Widjojanto, who did not attend the inauguration, said
yesterday from his office in Central Jakarta that he would quit
the team if it proves not to be independent.
He said the government should also establish teams which
include non-governmental organizations and members of the public
to probe into the fatal shootings of four Trisakti University
students a day before the riots, and into the abductions of
political activists. (byg)