Mystery remains over string of activist disappearances

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)