Munir autopsy report leads police to Holland
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
As part of a thorough investigation into the death of rights campaigner Munir, the National Police has allowed the coordinator of the National Commission on Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Usman Hamid, to join a police team heading to the Netherlands.
Usman said the team would leave for Amsterdam on Wednesday for a series of meetings with Dutch investigators, collect the original autopsy report and hire a local lawyer there.
The Indonesian police team, comprising forensic and toxicology experts, are expected to read all the legal documents, including the files on several people who have been interviewed in connection with the death of Munir on Sept. 7.
"Munir's wife refused to join the police team and asked me to represent her," said Usman, who is also a lawyer.
The wife of Munir, Suciwati, demanded last week the report of the autopsy performed on her husband and a thorough investigation of his death.
The autopsy, which was conducted in a Dutch hospital, discovered excessive arsenic levels in Munir's body.
Munir was found dead aboard a Garuda Indonesia flight a few hours before landing at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam. He was traveling to the Netherlands to study for a master's degree in human rights at Utrecht University.
Usman said Dutch investigators had questioned the Garuda crew and a doctor who attempted to help Munir before he died. The Netherlands police also examined all the medical equipment on the plane that was used by the doctor as he gave Munir first aid.
"They (the Netherlands police) also recorded the passport numbers of all passengers on board both the flight to Singapore and to Amsterdam," Usman said.
Munir changed flights in Singapore but to another Garuda plane.
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar ordered a criminal investigation last week into Munir's death, acknowledging that the death was suspicious.
Fearing that Munir's death could have been a political assassination, fellow activists have called for the establishment of a joint team consisting of the police and members of the National Commission on Human Rights.
But Usman said the government had yet to respond to the call.
Usman also said he hoped to meet with members of the Netherlands parliament, as well as journalists and activists, in a bid to rally support for a thorough investigation.
According to Usman, Kontras has started investigating the case and collected information on the death of Munir. The non- governmental organization plans to publicly announced their findings once the police finish their investigation.
"Therefore, support from both inside the country and the international community is badly needed," Usman said.