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)