Military tribunal to try Trisakti case

Military tribunal to try Trisakti case

JAKARTA (JP): Eleven military personnel will be tried in a
military tribunal on Monday for their alleged role in the
shooting of Trisakti students, a military spokesman revealed on
Thursday.

"It is not true that the case was frozen or there has been no
improvement in the handling of the case," Rear Marshall Graito
Usodo was quoted as saying by Antara.

He did not identify the defendants.

He said that accounts of 35 witnesses would be heard in the
trial.

Documents of the Semanggi II shooting case would be filed with
the military court on June 28, he said.

"The trial of these cases is proof of the military and
police's commitment to prosecute in accordance with the law
anyone who violates the law," Graito said.

Four students were killed in the Trisakti incident in May 1998
during a mass rally that led to the resignation of former
president Soeharto.

Two police officers were sentenced by the military tribunal on
Aug. 12, 1998 to 10 months and 4 months in jail respectively for
ordering police to shoot at the crowd.

The Semanggi II incident took place in September 1999 where
students clashed with the security officers in the wake of
protests over a security bill. Five people were killed.