Kontras doubts ABRI resolve in probe

Kontras doubts ABRI resolve in probe

JAKARTA (JP): The coordinator of a leading non-governmental
organization investigating the torture and abductions of
political activists doubts the Armed Forces (ABRI) will truly
lift the shroud covering the disappearances.

The coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and
Victims of Violence (Kontras), Munir, yesterday questioned
whether ABRI would be willing to reveal the extent of its units'
involvement since it could deleteriously impact its
sociopolitical role.

"This abduction case will probably remain unsettled. They will
be localized," Munir told The Jakarta Post here yesterday.

He cited what he described as ABRI's attempt to "localize" and
limit the problem in that it was not expanding the circle of
people currently being investigated.

So far ABRI has laid blame on members belonging to the Army's
elite Special Force (Kopassus).

Ten soldiers will be court-martialled and the recently
established Officers Honor Council has identified former Kopassus
chiefs Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto and Maj. Gen. Muchdi
Purwopranjono as parties that had either given the instructions
for the abductions or were aware of their issuance.

Munir said he "would be very surprised" if military
investigators later summoned former Jakarta Military Command
chief Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, former Jakarta Police chief
Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata and former National Police chief Gen. Dibyo
Widodo. He believed they should also be held responsible since
many of the abductions and detentions were in Jakarta.

"There is an attempt ... to limit the number of officers who
must be punished," Munir suggested.

Sjafrie, Hamami Nata and Dibyo, all former adjutants of former
president Soeharto, were recently moved from their posts in what
ABRI claimed was a routine tour of duty.

Kontras said at least 21 people had been abducted in the run-
up to the presidential election last March. Nine people have
reappeared, but 12 others are still missing and Armed Forces
Commander Gen. Wiranto has denied any knowledge of their
whereabouts.

Munir insisted no military tribunal should be held until all
of the missing activists reappeared, as it would not be legally
feasible to bring the officers to another trial for the same case
should further evidence be found later on.

The chief of the honor council, Gen. Subagyo Hadisiswoyo, said
Monday the abductions took place because of Prabowo's own
interpretation of an order to "monitor" the activists' moves.

Wiranto, however, said yesterday Prabowo had been given an
instruction by a superior to take security measures to safeguard
the presidential election in March.

There already is speculation that Prabowo, former president
Soeharto's son-in-law, will likely be made the most senior
officer blamed.

Kontras led the way in the search for the missing activists
long before the government even acknowledged that the abductions
occurred.

Their work drew public attention and pressure to unveil the
abductions which eventually led to the formation of a military
team to investigate the cases after the resignation of former
president Soeharto in May.

Yesterday, Munir pointed out that it would be difficult for
the Officers Honor Council to reveal more than the possible
involvement of Kopassus officers since its primary purpose was to
question the involvement of Prabowo, Muchdi and former chief of
Kopassus intelligence operations Col. Chairawan.

To truly investigate the involvement of other officers in
other units, the council would have to make a recommendation to
Armed Forces Chief Gen. Wiranto to set up another council. (prb)