Investigation into the death of Ita cast into confusion

Investigation into the death of Ita cast into confusion

JAKARTA (JP): The only sister of Marthadinata, or Ita, who was
murdered at midday on Friday has said she believes the murder of
her younger sibling was a criminal act and not motivated by a
more sinister agenda.

"Yes," she nodded in response when asked if she thought her
sister had been murdered after startling a burglar in their
house.

Evi Suriadinata, 26, also disclosed to the packed briefing
room at the city police headquarters on Monday that her beloved
younger sister was neither a rape victim nor a member of the
Volunteers of Humanity team.

"My sister was not a victim of rape during the May riots. At
that time, we were at home with some friends from my office,"
Evi, who was accompanied by her aunt, told the local and foreign
media.

Evi, who works for IndoNet, an Internet service provider, held
back tears and remained silent when pressed for further comment
on statements made by human rights activists that her sister was
listed as having been raped during the riots.

Evi said it was her and not her sister who was a member of the
Volunteers for Humanity team.

"My mother and sister only helped me obtain signatures on
petitions against sexual violence. My mother and I were once
asked to assist rape victims, but we did not feel up the job.
Assisting rape victims is a very difficult and emotionally
draining job," she said.

Hendardi, the chairman Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights
Association (PBHI), reiterated the association's position on
Monday, saying: "Ita was actually one of the victims of rape
during the May riots".

"She was not to accompany the victims as reported in the
media," Hendardi said in a statement made available to The
Jakarta Post.

On Sunday, PBHI executive Paskah Irianto and Sandyawan both
said they suspected Ita was one of the many women thought to have
been raped in the May riots.

"How could a girl of her age accompany rape victims? What was
her role in the planned journey to the U.S. (to make a testimony)
going to have been if she was not a victim?" Sandyawan said.

The priest also repeated his words to the media on Monday.

However, Evi said Ita and her mother had no plans to go the
United States.

She said it was their father, Leo Haryono, the owner of a
furniture shop in Klender, East Jakarta, who planned to go to
America on business in the near future.

"Thus, the passport application (as reported by some parts of
the media) was merely for father's trip," she said.

She also insisted that her family had not received any threats
except an invitation from an unidentified caller to leave for the
United States.

Evi said her appearance before the press on Monday was her own
decision, taken in an attempt to clarify growing speculation on
the motive for Ita's murder.

"I apologize to the media that my family have reluctantly
talked to reporters because we decided not to talk to anyone
before everything about the murder has become clear," she said,
adding that some reports of the killing had outraged her family.

Earlier, the police allowed the media to directly interview
the suspect, Suryadi, alias Otong, 22, the victim's next door
neighbor.

Accompanied by lawyers Petrus Bala Pattiona and Ruhut
Sitompul, Otong -- wearing a dark blue custodial uniform --
confessed to having masturbated in front of Ita's body
immediately after killing her.

Ita's body was found fully clothed, but police forensics
experts said they found traces of semen on the victim's shirt and
bed cover.

Widespread public speculation that Ita's killing had something
to do with suggestions that she was raped during the May riots
has angered the police.

National Police chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi on Monday vowed to
sue those responsible for such baseless speculation.

He said there were groups seeking to benefits from Ita's death
by using it to attract publicity.

From its headquarters in New York, Human Rights Watch said it
is calling for a full and independent investigation into the
murder.

In a statement made available to the Post on Monday, the group
said: "Her murder has raised concerns among Indonesian human
rights groups that it represents as escalation of a campaign to
terrorize those investigating the rapes."

In his statement, PBHI chairman Hendardi urged the Jakarta
Police not to close the case immediately.

Hendardi also urged the authorities to allow Otong to choose
his own lawyers.

Meanwhile, leading human rights campaigner Marzuki Darusman on
Monday joined calls urging the police to continue with their
investigation into Marthadinata's murder.

"Whatever their explanation was, it would have been met with
strong public skepticism... because there is such a strongly
held skepticism of police competency," he said. (emf/byg/bsr)