Inquiry body names 6 officers as involved in Theys' murder
Inquiry body names 6 officers as involved in Theys' murder
Annastashya Emmanuelle and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The government-initiated National Inquiry Commission (KPN)
announced on Monday that six military officers from the Tribuana
X Task Force of the Trikora Regional Military Command in Irian
Jaya were allegedly involved in the murder of Papuan leader Theys
Hiyo Eluay.
The commission chairman, Koesparmono Irsan, however, refused
to name the suspects -- three of whom are middle-ranking military
officers, the remaining three are lower-ranking officers --
claiming the names of the suspects were still subject to changes
depending on further investigation by the military police.
The commission also failed to discover the motives of the
murder, saying they were only given three months to conduct their
investigation.
"We recommend the investigation be continued by the military
police, which has more authority (to conduct the investigation),"
Koesparmono announced, after reporting to President Megawati
Soekarnoputri on the results of its investigation at the State
Palace.
Theys, chairman of the Papua Presidium Council, was found dead
on Nov. 11 last year, after attending the National Heroes'
commemoration day at the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) compound
in Jayapura, the capital of Irian Jaya.
In their report, the commission announced they had not found
any indication of gross human rights violations, which is ruled
under Law No. 26/2000 on Human Rights Tribunal.
The law stipulates that a crime is categorized as a gross
human rights violation when it is conducted systematically and in
a widespread manner.
"During the questioning of witnesses, we found no indication
of a gross human rights violation," Koesparmono said, adding that
the Irianese had told the commission that any legal process
concerning Theys should be conducted in Irian Jaya.
In their report, the commission also recommended the military
police continue searching for Theys' driver Aristoteles Masoka,
who went missing after Theys' murder.
In response to the commission's report, President Megawati,
who was accompanied by the Coordinating Minister for Political
and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, urged the
investigation to proceed with the legal process as soon as
possible.
Separately, a team of lawyers for the Kopassus members
revealed that they had sent letters to TNI chief Adm. Widodo AS,
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, National Military
Police chief Maj. Gen. Sulaiman AB, as well as to Kopassus chief
Maj. Gen. Amirul Isnaeni, demanding that their clients have their
detentions suspended.
Ruhut Sitompul, a lawyer for one of the Kopassus officers,
said that "the letter sent to Gen. Amirul needs to consider that
is he (Amirul), their superior who asked the military police to
detain these three members of Kopassus."
"It must be clarified whether the detention of these three
Kopassus officers was merely due to a decision made by their
superior, that is the Kopassus chief. Under military law, the
investigator has no right to place the suspect in jail."
On Monday, the three officers, identified as Lt. Col. HM; Maj.
DH; and Capt. R; were again questioned at military police
headquarters for further investigation after they were officially
accused of violating Article 338 of the Criminal Code for killing
Theys.
Later in the day, Sulaiman, however, revealed the arrest of
the three Kopassus members had been decided by the military
police headquarters. He added he had yet to consider whether or
not he would release the three.
"It was me, and not the chief of Kopassus, who decided to put
these three officers in our cell. As investigator, of course we
have the right to arrest the suspect. What has been revealed by
these lawyers is potentially misleading," Sulaiman said, after a
special security coordination meeting at the office of
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs.