Kontras to report missing persons cases to UN body
Kontras to report missing persons cases to UN body
JAKARTA (JP): The independent Commission for Missing Persons
and Victims of Violence (Kontras) will report the recent spate of
kidnappings of political activists to the Geneva-based United
Nation (UN) Rights Commission in September.
Kontras' coordinator Munir said here yesterday that Kontras
had been invited by the UN rights commission to confirm reports
of missing persons and the military's alleged use of violence.
"Kontras is scheduled to attend five meetings between
September and November in which we will report openly the latest
developments in these cases," Munir told journalists at the
Indonesian Legal Aid Office in Central Jakarta.
Munir said Kontras would attend meetings of the Working Group
on Arbitrary Detention, the Committee Against Torture, and the
human rights subcommission.
He also reiterated yesterday that the Armed Forces should
immediately follow up on its recent admission that several of its
members were involved in the kidnappings by disclosing who
masterminded these flagrant violations of human rights.
"If the investigators procrastinate or there are delays in
revealing the results, the international community will come to
doubt the Armed Forces commitment to solving the cases
satisfactorily," Munir said.
Minister of Defense and Security Affairs/Armed Forces
Commander Gen. Wiranto confirmed last week that some members of
the military were involved in the abduction of political
activists.
Armed Forces Spokesman Maj. Gen. Syamsul Ma'arif said on
Thursday that the National Military Police had questioned 40
members of the Armed Forces for their alleged involvement in the
abductions.
Human rights groups believe that the Armed Forces knows who
was behind the abductions, why this person arranged for them to
take place, and where the captives were held.
"If by next week there has been no further progress in the
investigation then we will take further steps," Munir warned
without elaborating. (byg)