No rift in team probing May unrest, Marzuki says

JAKARTA (JP): Human rights campaigner Marzuki Darusman denied on Wednesday that a rumored rift between members of the team investigating the May riots caused the postponement of the announcement of its findings.

Marzuki, who chaired the government-sponsored joint team, said "technical problems" delayed the scheduled Oct. 23 release.

"This is only a problem of how to formulate (the final report) because we come from various backgrounds."

He added that the differences in members' background meant the process to reach consensus was longer than a homogeneous group, but said stories of discord were untrue.

"There is no split, deadlock or whatsoever," Marzuki said on the sidelines of a human rights workshop. He added the team was expected to complete the final draft report by the end of this week.

"So, I think we will present the findings to the government early next week." He did not specify a date.

Separately, however, a member of the team, Bambang Widjojanto expressed on Wednesday utter disappointment over the inordinately arduous method of the team's work, lambasting at its contention about some petty things.

"I and other team members from non-governmental organizations have demanded that the team conclude its final report as soon as possible, otherwise we will simply get out of it," added Bambang, Director of the Foundation of Indonesian Legal Aid Institute.

"We are deadly tired of having to argue about and fight for things that are not principal but simply editorial in nature. If the team is really serious about and willing to accomplish its mission, it can finish the final report within a few hours," Bambang said.

The 18-member team -- comprised of representatives from the Armed Forces (ABRI), government agencies, the rights commission and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) -- is assigned to investigate and, if possible, unveil the perpetrators of the riots.

The team is also investigating claims made by human rights groups that there were rampant sexual assaults and rapes during rioting which killed about 1,200 people and led to Soeharto's resignation from the presidency.

Marzuki said earlier the team hoped to be able to avoid any dissenting views but had not ruled out the possibility that some members might refuse to sign the final report.

"We do not foreclose that from happening because it is a team where the members are independent and able to have their own views even if they had a consensus on general reporting of the whole investigation ... they might want to present individual view on some issues." Marzuki said on Oct. 22. (byg)