Military probe into kidnappings

Military probe into kidnappings

From Bisnis Indonesia

It has been quite some time since the establishment of the
small Armed Forces team led by Maj. Gen. Syamsu of the military
police started an investigation into the cases of abduction and
torture of Pius Lustrilanang and others. However, the result of
the team's effort to uncover these cases has yet to be made
known.

What's the difficulty? There are obvious clues about these
cases: the abductions were undertaken by a well-organized group
with military characteristics; the site where the kidnapped
people were kept is somewhere in Jakarta; there are six cells,
some of which are underground; each cell has a bed, a bathroom
plus a toilet and a surveillance camera; the site must be a
military barrack and close to an airfield (perhaps Halim
Perdanakusuma) and at 3 p.m. every day there is a troop roll call
(the sound of a bugle was heard).

The interrogation room and cells are air-conditioned; the food
regularly provided to the detainees looked like rations for
soldiers; many of the people there had either sedans or station
wagons, and they had handcuffs, like policemen; the interrogators
had a military stance and carried guns that are standard issue
for the Indonesian Armed Forces. The interrogators said they
graduated from the Indonesian Armed Forces Academy. So, even a
layman like me can make a good guess.

I hope the Armed Forces team works earnestly to uncover this
case thoroughly, in keeping with the pledge made by the Armed
Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto. The problem should not be too
difficult for this small team to crack if it is willing to check
all Armed Forces barracks to find one that fits the above clues.

And now, how about the fate of those abducted and not yet
released? Witnesses said they met these people at the place in
which they themselves were detained. Have they all been murdered?

The Indonesian people and the international community are
waiting for an explanation from the Armed Forces commander and
demand that the perpetrators, whoever they are, must be brought
in front of a military tribunal/court of law. Do not cover up
these cases or shelve them because these cases concern the
reputation of the Armed Forces and, more importantly, they are
serious violations of the law and of human rights.

SUHARSONO HADIKUSUMO

Jakarta