Kidnappers still walking free: Kontras

Kidnappers still walking free: Kontras

JAKARTA (JP): Abductors of political activists are still on
the loose, according to Munir of the independent Commission for
Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras).

"Five of the nine activists (who resurfaced after being
abducted) have seen a number of their abductors on the streets
recently," Munir told reporters on Wednesday.

He refused to identify the activists.

"They saw the abductors in front of the Indonesian Legal Aid
Institute (LBH) office, on the bus and in some other public
places," he claimed.

Munir conceded it was impossible at present to confirm whether
the people were the 11 unnamed members of the Army's Special
Force (Kopassus), who are reportedly detained at the National
Military Police headquarters for involvement in the abductions.

"We do not know who those 11 people are... we also do not
know whether those in detention are the real kidnappers or not."
He added that those spotted in public might be accomplices of the
actual kidnappers.

Munir urged the National Military Police to be transparent and
release the identities of the 11 Kopassus members.

Activists who have reappeared and human rights groups,
including London-based Amnesty International, have said an
independent body should be given access to the detained Kopassus
members to carry out an impartial investigation.

The military police said they could only meet the suspects in
a planned court-martial.

Munir also protested the military's plan to submit the
dossiers of the detained Kopassus members to the court-martial
next Tuesday since it has yet to locate 14 missing activists.

"It is likely they will be prosecuted only for their
involvement in the abductions of the nine activists who have
resurfaced," Munir said.

He has argued that no military tribunal should be held until
all of the missing activists reappear because it would not be
legally feasible to bring the officers before another trial for
the same case should evidence be found later on.

Kontras estimates that at least 24 activists went missing
beginning in April last year. One was found dead last May. The
nine who resurfaced related harrowing tales of physical and
mental torture.

The Armed Forces (ABRI) announced the alleged involvement of
Kopassus members in the abductions of political activists in
July.

Minister of Defense and Security/ABRI Commander Gen. Wiranto
then discharged former Kopassus chief Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto
-- a son-in-law of former president Soeharto -- and removed two
senior Kopassus officers from active duty in August for their
involvement in the abductions of political activists.

National Military Police chief Maj. Gen. Syamsu Djalal said on
Saturday the investigators were still looking for more evidence
to prosecute Prabowo.

Wiranto said in August the military did not know the
whereabouts of the activists and promised to keep searching for
them.

Munir has said that ABRI, which has been battered by
revelations of alleged human rights abuses, could not afford the
disclosure of more past wrongdoing.

He said recently that ABRI was caught in "political
difficulties" over those who are still missing.

"ABRI is still calculating the implications if it announces
that there are a number of people among these 14 activists who
are already dead."

Munir said on Wednesday that Kontras planned to meet Prabowo's
father, noted economist Soemitro Djojohadikusumo, on Friday in
its search for more information on the abductions.

Soemitro was still in the United States on Wednesday, Munir
quoted the economist's secretary as saying. (byg)