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)