Parties reach peace deal over Priok bloodshed

JAKARTA (JP): The families of Tanjung Priok riot victims and military officers who were active when the bloody shooting took place have reached a peace after more than 16 years.

The Islamic reconciliation pact, called an islah, was signed in the presence of a notary public on March 1, but was only announced during a gathering on Wednesday at the Sunda Kelapa Grand Mosque in Menteng, Central Jakarta.

Signing the reconciliation pact were representatives of the families, including Syarifuddin Rambe, Ahmad Sahi, Syafwan Sulaeman, Nasrun H.S., Asep Saprudin, Sudarso and Siti Chotimah. The officers were represented by Gen. (ret) Try Sutrisno, Sugeng Subroto, Pranowo, Soekarno, Rudolf A. Butar-Butar, Sriyanto and H. Mattani.

Try, a former vice president, was the Jakarta Military commander and Rudolf the North Jakarta Military commander when the incident took place on Sept. 12, 1984.

The military claimed 18 people were killed when soldiers opened fire on antigovernment protesters outside Tanjung Priok Mosque in North Jakarta. Relatives of the victims, however, said at least 412 people went missing.

Apart from the signatories, those attending Wednesday's gathering included noted Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid, who was one of the initiators of the islah, and Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Bibit Waluyo.

Dewi Wardah, the widow of Amir Biki, a Tanjung Priok religious leader who was among those shot dead in the incident, and their daughter, Nurdahya, also were present.

"As a display of good will and appreciation, we truly forgive each other and seek a reunion in the spirit of brotherhood and love, and to leave past conflicts, hatred and vengeance behind us," a representative of the victims' families, Syafwan Sulaeman, read from the reconciliation pact.

The agreement also says "both parties, after contemplation, realize that what happened on the evening of Sept. 12, 1984, in front of the North Jakarta Police Headquarters was not planned.

" ... therefore the dispute between both parties is considered settled. We do not want this case to be reopened, especially as a political commodity."

Relatives of the victims also demanded that the government restore the good names of those who died in the incident and those who were detained in connection with the violence, and provide them compensation.

Nurcholish said the families of the Tanjung Priok victims had asked him to broker the peace talks.

Try said intensive talks took place for sometime before the pact was signed. "As for the legal proceedings, please ask the related institution. Islah is a religious practice, which is outside the realm of law, politics or culture."

Dewi Wardah said she was willing to make peace with security officials involved in the bloodshed, because she was tired after three years of trying in vain to obtain compensation.

"As a follow-up to one of the items in the agreement, about a definite cooperation between the families of the victims and the military, we will set up a foundation with money donated by Pak Try to provide financial aid for both those arrested in connection with the incident and the children of those who died.

"Many of us are unemployed because no companies are willing to hire anyone who was detained in connection with the clash. They are denied job opportunities because their names are still tainted," she told The Jakarta Post by phone.

Dewi said that since a peace had been reached, state prosecutors could stop their investigation into alleged human rights abuses committed in Tanjung Priok.

She said a trial would take more time, and everyone connected with the matter had lost their patience and trust in the country's judicial system.

"I think the current investigation by the Attorney General's Office is no longer necessary. It will be more effective to cooperate with Pak Try in demanding compensation from the administration of President Abdurrahman Wahid," she said.

However, the son of Amir Biki, Benny, blasted the agreement, saying religion had been politicized and the essence of the case had not been touched on.

A spokesman for the Attorney General's Office, Muljohardjo, said that although the victims had received compensation, state prosecutors could not just end an investigation into human rights abuses.

"By law, a case may be shut if one of the elements of a crime is not present. But in a human rights case, losses are not taken into account. So the islah does not affect the investigation. It will only be regarded as an advantage for the suspects," he said. (bby/edt)