Munir, politics and murder
The cruelest fate has befallen the sincerest of men. He spent his life absolving the glories of our blood and state. But his dauntless effort was indemnified by a poison chalice. An unrighteous end to a noble life.
We hung our head in quiet rage as news from an autopsy in the Netherlands confirmed that Munir's death on a flight bound for Amsterdam was due to excessive levels of arsenic in his bloodstream.
We are now indignant after his widow, Suciwati, received death threats reportedly warning her against connecting the death of husband to the military.
Suciwati has for years been the quiet heroine behind her husband. She was the sustaining light during the darkest hours of her husband's ordeals in voicing the plight of those who had been politically silenced.
Standing beside Munir, she was his silent partner enduring years of terror in quiet suffering in the profound belief in justice. She never captured headlines, neither did she ever seek to exploit her valiant contribution. Even in her mourning she has not been able to bury her husband in peace. The terror that Suciwati and Munir fought so hard against returns to haunt her.
How callous can the perpetrators be?
We can only observe in admiration her determination not to succumb to premeditated terror. Our moral support goes out to her and our commitment to help propel a thorough investigation into Munir's death is assured.
Key to the development of this case in the next few weeks will be the attitude of government, police and military officials in responding to the autopsy report. It is too easy for high ranking officials to spew the standard line of ordering an "investigation". Similarly, we would be too naive to take the police's word on the thoroughness of their inquiry, or the summary denials of top brass that the military is not involved.
Guilt should not be presumed on any institution or high ranking individual. Unsubstantiated claims at this juncture would only obscure an already difficult case.
However we also cannot allow it to evolve with strong oversight.
This is no simple case. Munir was no plain man. His struggle in the past few years was an extraordinary feat of bravery against a political leviathan. If it is established that Munir was murdered, the only conclusion can be that his death was an assassination.
Therefore police cannot treat the investigation as they would a run-of-the-mill homicide. Perpetrators with influence larger than the average suspect will likely attempt to sway proceedings. Terror and deception will abound.
Our police force does not have a good record in resolving cases with highly charged political overtones. Hence our concern that the public monitor the investigations. Just because the rhetoric of "transparency" is used by the authorities, does not make it so -- and most of the time it isn't.
Leaders of society, political parties, and even our new government often proclaim that Indonesia is entering a new era. It is the duty of these people in high positions to ensure the police probe is carried out with the same kind of thoroughness and zeal that Munir himself extended to helping victims of political kidnappings.
The government has to show that it is committed to supporting the cause of one of reformasi's true heroes. Failure to do so perpetuates the impunity of oppressive-style measures which were so prevalent prior to 1998. Personal vendettas against people like Munir cannot be allowed to thrive.
This nation has never given Munir due recognition. He did not received any medals, and his name will probably be but a footnote in our grandchildren's history books. But his contribution to the nation is no less significant than the sacrifice of our 1945 freedom fighters. Those who murdered him are not just criminals, they are traitors to the nation.
The Indonesian people have an obligation to give Munir and his family peace of mind. It is the least we can do.