Mob attacks Kontras over Aceh stance

Mob attacks Kontras over Aceh stance

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

About 100 members of a nationalist youth organization attacked on
Tuesday the office of a local human rights watchdog, the
Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras)
here and assaulted five staff members for being critical of war
in Aceh.

Clad in green military-like fatigues, the gang arrived at noon
ostensibly in search of Munir, Kontras' founder who now serves as
executive director of another human rights watchdog, Imparsial,
but he was not at the office.

The mob identified themselves as the Pemuda Panca Marga, a
staunchly nationalistic group whose members are children of
veteran soldiers. The youth organization used to be affiliated
with the Golkar Party.

On Monday, about 30 members of the group went to the office,
on Jl. Cisadane, Central Jakarta, looking for Munir, but could
not find him so they became violent.

Munir has lambasted the government for its war in Aceh, and
alleged that it should be categorized as a gross human rights
violation, which would thwart the development of peace in the
province. As of Tuesday, at least 80 people have been killed in
Aceh, according to military sources.

Orie Rachman, chairman of the Kontras' presidium, said that
during the attack on Tuesday, the group turned violent and
vandalized the office, destroying chairs, desks and cabinets, as
well as physically assaulting five people. None of the five were
seriously injured.

"This is the second time they came here this week. Yesterday,
they threatened us and said they would come with a bigger mob,"
Orie said.

After about half an hour, the group left the office in a total
mess.

"And, strangely, no police officers were present even after we
had reported their threat," said Orie.

He said that on Monday, four police officers from the Central
Jakarta Police Precinct also witnessed the rally in front of the
office.

Orie insisted that the assault and vandalism would not affect
Kontras' activities in promoting human rights.

"We'll submit the case to the police as it is a police
obligation to take legal action against the attackers," said
Orie.

Meanwhile, Central Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Sukrawardi
Dahlan, who arrived on the scene shortly after the group left,
claimed that his personnel had failed to appear because they were
all in a meeting.

Sukrawardi then went on to say that the police were trying to
apprehend members of the mob, but that they were outnumbered.

However, he also revealed that he foresaw difficulties in
arresting the suspects because the group was protected by the
military. He said that instead of directly arresting them, he
would formally ask their leader to hand over the suspects in the
attack.

Meanwhile, Imparsial's operational director Rusdi Marpaung
said the attack on Kontras reflected the heightened political
pressure and violence against all institutions promoting human
rights and democracy in the country.

"But, we won't stop fighting for human rights and democracy
due to intimidation," he said.

Separately, Purwandono, from the non-governmental organization
Solidaritas Nusa Bangsa, condemned the attack and called it a
form of terrorism.

"We demand that the police catch those responsible for this
attack," said Purwandono.

Timeline of attacks on Kontras

Year Incident

2000 A grenade explodes in front of the Kontras office, no
injuries
2001 A bomb placed at Munir's family home in Malang, East Java
but fails to explode.
2001 The car belonging to human right activist Jhonson Panjaitan

was shot at while parked at the Kontras office, no injuries
2002 Mob attacks Kontras office destroys furniture and files
2003 Mob attacks Kontras office