Sun, 02 Aug 1998

It's the wrong Herman: Consul-general

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian consul-general in the southern Philippines' city of Davao, Asmadi Arbi, has dismissed an earlier claim by the Armed Forces (ABRI) that Herman Hendrawan, one the missing activists, has been found and was sheltering in his office.

Asmadi said the man who appeared at his door and claimed to be Herman Hendrawan insisted that he was not the Herman Hendrawan now being sought by rights activists and the military alike. Asmadi said he was convinced of this after he received a photograph of the missing activist from Jakarta.

"They're different. Stories can be made up and incidents can be engineered, but I'm sure he's not the missing Herman Hendrawan, I can guarantee you that," Asmadi told The Jakarta Post by phone.

The 27-year-old Herman in Davao claimed he was a student at the private Siliwangi University in Tasikmalaya, West Java, before he moved to Parahiyangan University in Bandung.

The missing Herman Hendrawan was a student at Surabaya's Airlangga University, Munir, the head of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), said.

ABRI spokesman Maj. Gen. Syamsul Ma'arif, who announced the "reappearance" of Herman on Friday, was not available for comment yesterday.

Asmadi said the Herman in Davao also objected strongly to "exaggerated media reports" on the "coincidence."

"He doesn't want to be bothered. He told me that he is just an ordinary person, not someone important," he said.

Asmadi regretted that the report about the "Davao Herman" which he sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and copied to the Armed Forces was released to the press. The report detailed the Davao Herman Hendrawan's story and requested help to confirm his identity, Asmadi said.

The Herman in Davao reportedly told Asmadi that his family in Tasikmalaya knew of his whereabouts and understood the purpose of his overseas travel.

"He told me that he wanted to wander around after what he had gone through," Asmadi said.

The Davao Herman claims that he was kidnapped in Jakarta in March. He said his experience had been similar to that reported by activists who have gone public with their kidnap ordeals, but added that he was released immediately after being interrogated, Asmadi said.

The Herman in Davao also admitted that he knew the missing Herman Hendrawan and Pius Lustrilanang, another kidnapping victim who has reappeared.

Asmadi concluded that he was not the Herman Hendrawan who Kontras are looking for but did have the same name.

"They happen to have the same name, just as there are many people with the name Soeharto," Asmadi said. (emf/edt/imn)