Investigation into Tanjung Priok case ordered

Investigation into Tanjung Priok case ordered

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid ordered on Thursday
Attorney General Marzuki Darusman to start a formal investigation
into the 1984 human rights abuses in Tanjung Priok.

Marzuki said his office would launch an investigation based on
the findings and recommendations of the National Commission on
Human Rights (Komnas HAM).

The commission's delegation met with the President during a
meeting with the commission members at Merdeka Palace.
Accompanied by other members, including Aisyah Amini and
Syamsudin, the commission chairman Djoko Soegianto handed over
its final conclusions about the incident to the President.

Marzuki said he would officially receive the results of the
Commission of Inquiry into Human Rights violations (KPP HAM) in
Tanjung Priok, set up by Komnas HAM in March, on Friday.

"We will follow up their findings," Marzuki said.

In its report before the House of Representatives recently,
the inquiry commission concluded there was no evidence of
intentional mass killings or burials during or after the
incident. The conclusion sparked anger from many people.

A mob damaged the commission office in Menteng, Central
Jakarta, not long after the announcement of the report. They
demanded punishment for former military chief Gen. (ret.) Benny
Moerdani and former vice president Gen. (ret.) Try Sutrisno for
their involvement in the killings.

Komnas HAM has come under fire for implicating several
military generals in human rights abuses after the referendum in
East Timor last year, but failing to do the same for those
involved in the Tanjung Priok case.

"Where there are shortcomings in the report, the Attorney
General will improve on them," said Djoko after meeting with
Abdurrahman.

Djoko reiterated he was quite satisfied with the findings. He
acknowledged gross human rights violations occurred during the
incident, where he said at least 24 people were killed by
security forces.

"The number is line with the statements of eyewitnesses,"
Djoko said.

The clashes between civilians and military personnel erupted
following emotionally charged lectures at Tanjung Priok's Rawa
Badak Mosque by preachers reportedly criticizing the government.

Separately, head of the joint team investigating human rights
violations in East Timor, state prosecutor M.A. Rachman, said two
teams had been assigned to visit East Timor and East Nusa
Tenggara on July 17.

Led by Rachman, 17 members of the first team will visit East
Timor for 10 days, while prosecutor Putu Kusa will lead the
second team sent to Denpasar and Atambua regency in East Nusa
Tenggara until the end of this month.

After meeting with representatives of the United Nations
Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), Rachman said
the teams would cross check witnesses' testimonies and question
East Timor's former governor Jose Abilio Soares and other
officials. (bby/prb)