Mystery remains over string of activist disappearances
JAKARTA (JP): "I am in danger" were reportedly the last words uttered by Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) politician Haryanto Taslam before disappearing a month ago.
Mangara Siahaan, a PDI deputy chief loyal to ousted leader Megawati Soekarnoputri, claimed he had a brief conversation with Haryanto on the afternoon of March 9.
Members of the PDI executive board under Megawati, speaking to the media Friday, did not dismiss the possibility of personal reasons behind the disappearances of their colleagues, but implied political factors were more likely.
"We believe that his disappearance is related to his political activities, although we do not rule out other possibilities," said Alexander Litaay, PDI secretary-general under Megawati.
"We cannot say who is responsible for Haryanto's disappearance, but believe that ABRI (the Armed Forces) can help find them (Haryanto and others missing)," he added.
On March 7, Haryanto checked into a three-star hotel in East Jakarta for personal reasons. The next day he returned to his house in Jakarta to pick up his car and then returned to the hotel.
"He had to stay in the hotel because he wanted to meet with someone," Litaay said without elaborating.
According to Alex, Haryanto's last contact with his friends was on the afternoon of March 9.
Haryanto, 44, has not been seen or heard from since.
The mystery over his whereabouts has been fueled by a string of unsolved disappearances of vocal non-government critics and activists.
The Foundation of the Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI) lists 11 missing.
They include Pius Lustrilanang, 29, the secretary of Siaga -- an association which supports government critics, including Megawati and Amien Rais. His friends say he has been missing since Feb. 3, one day after being visited by military intelligence officers.
Others who have allegedly disappeared include Andi Arief, Feisal Rezha, Rahardjo Waluyo Djati and Nezar Patri, all from Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta.
Andi, chairman of Indonesian Student Solidarity for Democracy (SMID), a group affiliated with the banned People's Democratic Party, was reportedly abducted from his brother's house in Lampung last month.
Litaay said Megawati, who was ousted as PDI chief by Soerjadi at a government-backed congress in 1996, would give her full support to families of the missing people.
Litaay urged the government and the Armed Forces to do their fullest in locating the missing people.
He said Megawati herself along with family members of the missing would officially file missing persons reports with the police on Wednesday.
Last week, Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. A. Wahab Mokodongan categorically denied allegations that the military was behind the disappearance of the activists. (prb)