Land expropriators behind missing activists: Kontras
JAKARTA (JP): The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) on Wednesday demanded police investigate the role of land expropriators in last week's disappearance of four activists on hunger strike from the legislative building.
Kontras coordinator Munarman said he believed that businessmen, including cronies of former president Soeharto, had a strong motive to kidnap the four activists from the Agrarian Reform Consortium (KPA).
"These activists were bringing up the issue of land appropriation. If they had succeeded and the land was returned (to the legal owners) it would cause the businessmen losses," Munarman said.
"So it is likely that the kidnappers are men hired by these parties," Munarman told reporters after meeting with National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Dadang Garnida at his office to ask for clarification about the matter.
Munarman, however, gave no names and provided no evidence to support his accusation.
The four activists, identified as Usep Setiawan, Muhammad Hafiz Azdam, Anton Sulton, and Idham Kurniawan, went on hunger strike on Aug. 14 at the People's Consultative Assembly/House of Representatives (MPR/DPR) compound along with eight others.
Later the same day, the four activists were picked up by a Sukanto Police Hospital ambulance, after complaining of weakness.
Police paramedics said the four activists, all from the West Java capital of Bandung, were dropped off in front of the General Election Commission building on Jl. Imam Bonjol in Central Jakarta as they had requested.
Supt. Setyanto, the officer in charge of security at the Annual Session, said on Wednesday he would resign if he or his men were proved to have been involved in their disappearance.
Setyanto, who is also the secretary of the patrol police directorate at the Jakarta Police, insisted he and his personnel knew nothing about the missing men.
Munarman said that for the time being he believed the police when they said they had nothing to do with the disappearances.
"But we are also urging them to make a search to prove (their word)," said Munawarman, who recently replaced Munir as Kontras coordinator.
Some people have suggested the activists may be hiding to gain popularity or smear the image of the police.
However, Usep's wife Eulis Nurfaidah, 28, who also attended the meeting with Dadang, said it was impossible that her husband had run away on his own accord.
"My husband would not put me or our nine-month-old child in this situation," Eulis said.
In a related incident, dozens of protesters from City Network (Jarkot) rallied in front of Jakarta Police Headquarters, demanding the police be held responsible for the disappearance of the four KPA activists.
The students demanded the police return the men to their respective families.
"Free our friends!" yelled a student standing on the roof of a minivan though a megaphone.
Scores of unarmed police personnel watched the protesters closely.
The protesters unfurled banner and posters reading "Nurfaizi, bring back our friends or there will a revolution" and "The police and the Indonesian Military are responsible for the abductions."
Nurfaizi is Jakarta Police chief.
Newly installed city police spokesman Supt. Muhammad Nur Haji Usman said the students' accusations were baseless.
"The police have no strong motives for doing that (kidnap)," he said.
National Police chief Gen. Rusdihardjo promised to continue searching for the activists.
"It's our job. So far, we have found no clues on who is responsible for their disappearance. We are still questioning their families," Rusdihardjo said. (jaw/asa)