Honorary council to probe Prabowo

JAKARTA (JP): Former Army Special Force (Kopassus) commanders Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto and Maj. Gen. Muchdi Purwopranjono will be questioned by an Officers Honorary Council investigating the alleged involvement of members of the unit in the abduction of political activists.

Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto revealed that Col. Chairawan, commander of Kopassus Group IV which deals with intelligence operations, will also be summoned before the council.

Ten Kopassus soldiers ranking below colonel will soon face a military tribunal for their alleged involvement in the abductions.

Wiranto told a media briefing that the three high-ranking officers "are suspected of violating the Officers' Code of Conduct," while the ten soldiers have been charged with direct involvement in the kidnappings.

Last month Prabowo said he was prepared to take responsibility for the abduction of political activists if there was proof that his troops were involved.

Wiranto, who opened the briefing with a public apology for the Armed Forces' (ABRI) failure to prevent the widespread rioting and rapes here last May, did not rule out the possibility of bringing the three officers before a tribunal if new evidence emerged.

Wiranto dismissed speculation that the council had been established as a means by which to quash Prabowo, whom many have described as Wiranto's arch political rival.

"The process is free from any political motives. Do not make any allegations or spread rumors that will prevent ABRI from carrying out its duty," he said. "Differences of opinions inside ABRI are only natural but they will not break the forces or affect ABRI's strong unity."

He did not give any timetable for the interrogation or the trial.

The seven member honorary council is led by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Subagyo Hadisiswoyo. His deputy is ABRI Chief of General Affairs Lt. Gen. Fachrul Razi.

Other members of the council are Inspector-general of the Ministry of Defense and Security Lt. Gen. Jusuf Kartanegara, ABRI Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Governor of the National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas) Lt. Gen. Agum Gumelar, Chief of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) Lt. Gen. Djamari Chaniago and Commandant-general of the Armed Forces Academy Vice Adm. Achmad Sutjipto.

Prabowo, former president Soeharto's son-in-law, commanded Kopassus for more than two years before he was appointed commander of Kostrad and replaced by Muchdi last March.

Prabowo was removed from Kostrad one day after Soeharto announced his resignation on May 21 and appointed chief of the Armed Forces Staff and Command School in Bandung.

Muchdi was also removed from Kopassus last May. He was replaced by Maj. Gen. Syahrir M.S.

Subagyo confirmed yesterday that the three officers have been removed from their current positions.

Separately, Munir from the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) said the three officers should be court martialled immediately.

The leader of the non-governmental organization which has been actively searching for the missing activists told a media conference: "We believe that they knew and gave the order for the abductions."

He said the military authorities had failed to maintain the principle of equality before the law.

"Wiranto told me during our meeting last week that the three officers cannot be brought before a court martial because they are 'honorary citizens'," he revealed.

Meanwhile, Moslem leader Amien Rais urged Prabowo to tell the honorary council nothing but the truth.

"I hope that Prabowo will reveal all the facts (behind the abductions). There should not even be one word omitted," Amien said as quoted by Antara after addressing a gathering of the International Executive Circle yesterday.

"Prabowo must be held responsible for the kidnappings. However, there are other people who must also shoulder the blame," he said. He did not mention any names, but he agreed when reporters cited former president Soeharto.

A similar military board was set up in 1992 to investigate the involvement of high ranking officers in the shooting of civilians in Dili, East Timor. None of the officers involved were court martialled but some were transferred or removed from their duties after the investigation. (imn/byg)