Honorary Council or trial?

Despite lingering skepticism, the formation of an Honorary Military Council, as announced by Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto yesterday, could mark an important phase in the ongoing investigation of the alleged involvement of Indonesian military personnel in the abductions and torture of political activists in the months preceding the downfall of president Soeharto in May. It also could be an encouraging signal that the Indonesian Armed Forces will, from now on, deal with problems such as serious human rights abuses that are potentially damaging to its prestige, with honesty, fairness and impartiality.

For this to be true, however, ...

To briefly recapitulate the case: The first apparently enforced disappearance of a dissenting political activist occurred as early as July 1996, with more occurring in April and May of the following year. It was, however, between February and May of this year that such disappearances reached alarming numbers -- 35 according to the Jakarta news magazine Forum Keadilan (Forum for Justice). At present, human rights workers report that at least 12 remain missing.

However, the Armed Forces only took action after Pius Lustrilanang, a student activist who disappeared on Feb. 4 and resurfaced on April 2, broke the silence and told the story of his abduction, torture and detention to the National Commission on Human Rights. His dramatic account of the ordeal he suffered at the hands of his evidently "professional" abductors created shockwaves both here at home and abroad.

The official announcement made by Wiranto yesterday said three senior Army officers would soon face questioning by the council about their suspected involvement in the affair. They are two former commandants-general of the Army special force (Kopassus), Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto and Maj. Gen. Muchdi, and Kopassus group commander Col. Chairawan. In addition, court martial charges are being prepared against ten other soldiers, including three junior officers, who military investigators have said are believed to be involved in the case.

The encouraging element in these procedures is that Wiranto appears to be sincere in his promise to uncover the whole affair "transparently" in order to restore the Armed Forces' good standing. And, indeed, it is of the utmost importance that he does. The abduction of political activists -- and only political activists -- performed over a period of so many months, was obviously driven by political motives.

It will be difficult for people to live in peace until it is known what those motives were. No less important, people must be assured that political kidnappings such as occurred during the last months of the old Soeharto regime will never recur, and that the law will be upheld in case they do, irrespective of the rank and position of the perpetrators.

To achieve this, absolute fairness and transparency of procedures must be ensured. This means that open courts martial for all those involved is essential. The Honorary Military Council may be helpful in providing the military authorities with all the information they need about this disgraceful affair. But if the public is to be fully reassured, the council must only be the first step on the road to justice that is total and without exception.