Munir case could poison Garuda's reputation

Kornelius Purba, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Soon after reading a magazine cover story about the alleged poisoning of human rights activist Munir during a Garuda flight, a woman came up with a suggestion to help the airline convince future passengers they weren't being poisoned.

"Before serving food and beverages, flight attendants should taste the food and drinks in front of passengers. If nothing happens to them after five minutes, the flight attendants can then serve the passengers," she wrote as if it were a doctoral presentation.

Garuda has said that Munir's death on one of its planes has not affected passenger load. And all Indonesians hope the airline will be cleared of any role in the activist's death, because, after all, no one wants to think the national flag-carrier is involved in the poisoning of passengers.

What Indonesians want most is for the authorities to find and punish those responsible for this tragic death. An autopsy performed by the Dutch authorities discovered excessive levels of arsenic in Munir's body, who died two hours before his plane landed in the Netherlands on Sept. 7 last year.

A government-sanctioned fact-finding team has alleged that top executives at Garuda were involved -- directly or indirectly -- in the death of the outspoken activist. There have also been allegations that a Garuda pilot is linked to the killing.

Munir is thought to have been poisoned through food served during a Garuda flight from Jakarta to Amsterdam, with a transit stop in Singapore. The national flag-carrier has denied all allegations, and we must keep in mind that only a court of law can determine who is responsible for Munir's death. But passengers also have the right to know that they will receive edible and poison-free food during their flights.

Garuda's food is OK, especially on its international flights. But after the Munir poisoning, flight attendants will hopefully not be offended if passengers ask: "Will I still be alive after eating this?"

Airports and airlines imposed tough security measures after the Sept. 11 tragedy to ensure the safety of passengers. At several airports, not just in the U.S. but even in Jordan, passengers are required to take off their shoes and belts before boarding a plane. Before taking off, passengers are told everything they cannot do during the flight, like using a cellular phone or smoking in the lavatory.

Now, perhaps, passengers on Garuda planes will also ask to be assured that, "Munir will be the first and last person to be poisoned on one of our flights." What guarantee can the airline offer passengers? "Our president will drink poison in public if any more poisonings occur."

The poisoning of passengers is not new in Indonesia, but before Munir it was only bus and train passengers who were poisoned. Most of the victims drank spiked water given to them by criminals with an eye on their belongings.

Munir, who was flying to the Netherlands to continue his legal studies, upset many people in the Indonesian Military (TNI) with his allegations of rights abuses by the TNI. Munir's wife and children, and all Indonesians who still believe in truth and justice, demand that his death be solved.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has promised (one of many promises the President has already committed himself to) that he will not let Munir's killers walk free.

So, all I can say is avoid poison, but please continue to fly. Maybe the best solution would be to refuse any food or drink during your flight, which is easy on short hops but more difficult during long journeys. Or perhaps it would do to bring your own food.

If I was a flight attendant, I would always assure my passengers: "As far as I know there is no poison in this food. If you don't believe me, let me have the first bite and you can eat the rest."