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)