Policeman discharged over UMI campus attack
Andi Hajramurni, Makassar
A police code of ethics committee dishonorably discharged an officer on Thursday for his role in a brutal attack on the Makassar-based Indonesian Muslim University (UMI) that injured 65 students.
First Brig. Nur Hasyim, 28, was dismissed from the police force in a hearing presided over by Sr. Comr. Edy Muliadi, accompanied by Sr. Comr. Syahrir Kuba, Sr. Comr. Suherlan and Sr. Comr. Herman Amin.
Hasyim was found guilty of violating the police code of ethics and Government Regulation No. 1/2003 on the police oath as he was among those who perpetrated the May 1 assault on the UMI campus.
The committee said Hasyim was no longer eligible to serve as a police officer as a result of the incident, which had damaged the honor and image of his force.
"Based on statements from witnesses and evidence presented to the hearing, he is proven guilty. Therefore ... we declare First Brig. Nur Hasyim is no longer fit to carry on as a police officer," Edy told the hearing at the South Sulawesi Police Headquarters.
Hasyim had earlier been ordered detained for 14 days by a separate police disciplinary committee and his promotion delayed for two terms in relation to the attack.
Twenty-two other officers, including 10 high- and middle- ranking ones, were also punished by the disciplinary committee for their role in the incident.
Hasyim was the first police officer to face a hearing by the police code of ethics committee, which is also scheduled to try 11 other officers.
Apart from the committee hearings, the South Sulawesi Police will also put at least 10 officers before the Makassar District Court in relation to the university incident.
During the attack, dozens of UMI students were kicked and beaten with sticks, guns and bare hands by police officers who stormed their campus over the reported hostage-taking of a policeman by the victims.
Prior to the UMI campus incident, the students had been demonstrating against the rearrest in Jakarta of elderly cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, who has been charged with terrorism.