More evidence needed to prosecute Prabowo
More evidence needed to prosecute Prabowo
JAKARTA (JP): National Military Chief Maj. Gen. Syamsu Djalal
said on Saturday that investigators were still looking for
further evidence to prosecute former Army Special Force
(Kopassus) chief Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto for his
involvement in the abductions of political activists.
"Prabowo has admitted his involvement in the abductions, as
quoted by Army Chief Gen. Subagyo, and (abduction) is a criminal
act," Syamsu was quoted by Antara news agency as saying in
Pontianak, West Kalimantan.
Syamsu, the newly installed deputy attorney general for
intelligence, was visiting the province to meet local officials
of the attorney general's office.
Subagyo led a seven-member Officers Honor Council in August
formed to question Prabowo and two other Kopassus officers over
their involvement in the abductions. The Armed Forces had
announced in July the suspected involvement of Kopassus members
in the abductions.
Before the council, Prabowo admitted involvement in the
abductions of nine political activists who have resurfaced.
Syamsu did not say precisely when Prabowo would be court-
martialled.
The independent Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of
Violence (Kontras) has said that at least 24 activists have gone
missing since April last year. Nine returned after several
months, relating details of the abductions and torture suffered
during their detention. Another was found dead in May and the
rest remain unaccounted for.
Minister of Defense and Security/ABRI Commander Gen. Wiranto
discharged Prabowo and removed two senior Kopassus officers from
active duty in August for involvement in the abductions of
political activists. Eleven other members of Kopassus are
reportedly facing court-martial.
Kontras' coordinator Munir has said that no military tribunal
should be held until the fate of all of the missing activists was
know because it would be legally infeasible to try the officers
for the same case if further evidence was found later on.
Wiranto said in August the military did not know the
whereabouts of the activists and promised to keep searching for
them.
Meanwhile, 16 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Sumatra
accused two oil and gas companies in Aceh of providing facilities
to the military during its operation to suppress the separatist
movement in the province in the past decade.
In a statement made available to The Jakarta Post, the NGOs,
including Walhi, the Indonesian Environmental Forum, Kontras
Lhokseumawe and Aceh NGOs Forum, demanded that the companies
apologize to and compensate victims of alleged military
atrocities.
The National Commission on Human Rights said in August that
military committed many serious human rights abuses, including
the killings of more than 780 people, during its operation in the
country's northernmost province. (byg)