Military to set up honorary council over abductions
JAKARTA (JP): An honorary military council led by a four-star general will soon be assembled to further investigate a string of abductions of activists, which the Armed Forces alleges was committed by Army special force (Kopassus) members.
Although little detail has been provided on members of the council or the scope of its investigation, it appears Army chief Gen. Subagyo Hadisiswoyo will most likely be its head.
"The preparations have been completed and it will be announced soon by the Minister of Defense and Security Affairs/Armed Forces Chief (Gen. Wiranto)," Armed Forces Chief of General Affairs Lt. Gen. Fachrul Razi told reporters here yesterday.
Facrul was speaking after attending the unveiling of the fact- finding team on the May riots, held at the Ministry of Justice in Kuningan, South Jakarta.
According to Fachrul, military regulations stipulate the council must be composed of seven members and be led by a high ranking official who holds a higher rank than the suspect.
When pressed whether the council would be led by Subagyo, Fachrul replied: "Just guess yourself. We do not have many (active) four-star generals... In Indonesia there are only two four-star generals (from the Army) and the first (general) must be responsible to the other one."
Subagyo and Wiranto are the only active Army four-star generals.
Fachrul also declined comment when queried if it could be assumed that one of the suspects in the abduction case was a three-star general.
Subagyo himself would only confirm that the council would be set up in a matter of days, ducking questions about his possible leadership.
"What is clear is that the people who are going to investigate the case should be more senior (than the suspect)."
On Wednesday, the military fact-finding team added another officer to the list of suspects, bringing to 11 the number of elite Kopassus members.
The team has refused to reveal the names or most senior rank of the suspects.
Maj. Gen. Syamsu Djalal, commander of the National Military Police who heads the team, last week said the investigation and testimony from the suspects could lead to the interrogation of former Kopassus commanders who were in charge at the time of the abductions, most of which occurred in the run-up to the People's Consultative Assembly General Session in March.
Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto headed the force for nearly two years until March 29 this year. He was replaced by Maj. Gen Muchdi Purwopranjono, who served in the post until May 25.
The Armed Forces has so far described the abductions as procedural violations.
Leading human rights figures remain doubtful on the effectiveness of the council in fully disclosing the mastermind behind the abductions or ensuring effective punishment for those responsible.
Bambang Widjojanto of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation said the council would likely only impose disciplinary measures against the perpetrators.
He said it would be difficult to produce an alternative conclusion to the case since their superior, Wiranto, had already interpreted it as a procedural violation.
His terminology has been strongly rejected by human rights groups and some of those who were kidnapped and subsequently released. They claim the abductions were premeditated and systematic acts committed by a number of well-organized military units.
Separately yesterday, Jakarta Military Command Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Sudi Silalahi said his command would fully assist the fact-finding team in investigating the case.
Sudi made his remarks in response to Syamsu's statement on Wednesday that the Jakarta Military Command, along with a number of other military institutions which included the Armed Forces Intelligence Agency, might have also been involved in the "process" of the abductions.
"Let's wait for the investigation result. We will support the investigation and we are open to being investigated," he said after attending the 36th anniversary commemoration of the command's seventh cavalry battalion at its headquarters in Cijantung, East Jakarta. (byg/ivy)