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