Noegroho says sorry again for hospital attack

JAKARTA (JP): City police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman apologized on Friday for the disruption and damage caused to a part of Jakarta Hospital in South Jakarta by military officers on Wednesday night.

He told reporters that he deeply regretted the actions of the 50 military officers who were under a security operation led by the police chief and apologized for their actions.

"I'm so sorry. I've spoken to Dr. Wahyono, the hospital's director, and told him how sorry I am," Noegroho told reporters at city police headquarters.

"By Thursday afternoon, a police fact-finding team, supported by city police detectives, intelligence officers and medical officers, started investigating this case."

"I have never said any of the military officers involved had done something right. I again apologize for their actions."

Noegroho said while none of the officers were questioned so far, six of Jakarta Hospital's staff members were questioned on Friday morning as witnesses to the incident.

"Let's see what will come out of it," he said.

Noegroho's public statement was contradictory to his statement on Thursday when he declared that neither the police nor the military could be condemned for the attack.

"That hospital protects people who have been destructive, and it takes care of them. Why blame our police or the Army for what they did," Noegroho said on Thursday.

"I apologize for whatever damage was caused. But I still think that the hospital should not shelter people who are destructive," the officer said.

Yet Noegroho's statement of apology was strongly criticized by political observers and human rights campaigners.

Lt. Gen. (ret) Hasnan Habib and Johannes Kristiadi of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said Noegroho should be held accountable for the incident.

"Kapolri (National Police chief) Gen. Roesmanhadi must immediately take action against Pak Noegroho. It is a most serious crime committed by those who are supposed to guarantee our security. Nobody should stay quiet about this," Hasnan told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Hasnan, the former ambassador to the United States, said to his knowledge he had never heard of "a more cursed act" anywhere in the world and that the perpetrators deserved heavy punishment.

He also suggested the hospital should seriously consider suing the city police.

Jakarta Hospital on Jl. Sudirman suddenly turned into a war zone on Wednesday at midnight when military officers ran amok, searching for suspected militant students hiding on the premises.

The armed security personnel broke into the hospital's four- story administration building, broke the windows and doors and fired several gas canisters into the basement.

Four rooms used as the kitchen, administration, central sterilization for surgical equipment and laundry were heavily damaged during the incident.

Kristiadi separately said Wednesday night's act should not be forgiven.

"The soldiers were not disciplined. The one responsible, namely the city police chief, should be strictly punished," he told the Post.

He said Roesmanhadi must replace the two-star general.

"If Roesmanhadi can't do it, then the new President of Indonesia must step in and take action," he said.

"The Indonesian public must demand that Noegroho and the 50 military officers involved in the incident be tried by law. One must remember that whatever the situation, a soldier never acts on his own, but on the orders of his commander."

When asked to comment on Noegroho's statement that the hospital tended to offer shelter to destructive students, Kristiadi said that could not be made a reason.

"The hospital's staff members did not invite the students to take shelter in the hospital. It was the students who went to the hospital to take shelter."

Separately, Albert Hasibuan of the National Commission on Human Rights told reporters that police officers were actually allowed to search for suspects on the hospital's premises.

"What they are forbidden to do is to cause damage to the hospital or its property. The city police must pay for all the damage caused to the hospital and its property, and strict action must be taken against Noegroho," Albert said.

Human rights lawyer Nursyahbani Katjasungkana said the perpetrators of the crime must be brought to court.

"Hospitals and polyclinics, like prayer halls, are buildings protected by law. The perpetrators must be brought to court," she said. (ylt)