Probe into Semanggi incident criticized

Probe into Semanggi incident criticized

JAKARTA (JP): The independent Commission for Missing Persons
and Victims of Violence (Kontras) lashed out on Monday at the
probe into the shooting of protesters at the Semanggi cloverleaf
in Nov. 13, which killed 14, mostly students.

The last of the 14, Engkus Kusnadi, a 19-year-old student of
architecture, died after 10 days in coma.

Kontras has charged that the Armed Forces (ABRI) was too slow
and that the investigation into the incident was "fraught with
uncertainties".

"The recent statement by the military police resulted from
their minimum investigative efforts and we therefore doubt their
resolve," the commission stated.

It was referring to last week's statement by military police
chief Maj. Gen. Djasri M. to the effect that there has been no
progress in the investigation into the shootings.

He said that the military was still unable to determine who
opened fire on the protesters.

The Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto told the House of
Representatives in November that the 5.56-millimeter bullet found
in a victim's body did not belong to the armory of any military
unit. The military has said that the bullet divided into three
pieces in the victim's body.

Kontras however said that Wiranto's statement was not "the end
of the story" and that the military is still responsible for
resolving the case.

"As of yet we see no reason for the military to stop the
investigation," Kontras said.

Kontras also criticized the military neglect of proper
witness questioning procedures. No prior summons had been issued.

"Witnesses have been reluctant to answer military police
requests for questioning as there was no official clarification
of the nature of the questioning," Kontras said.

The shooting occurred when thousands of students staging
rallies in front of the private Atma Jaya University to protest
the Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly from
Nov. 10 to Nov. 13 clashed with security personnel blocking their
way to the legislature compound in Senayan, about 300 meters west
of the cloverleaf.

Kontras on behalf of the parents of six students shot dead
reiterated on Monday that the Nov. 13 shootings should not remain
a mystery like the shooting deaths of the four Trisakti
University students in May.

The Trisakti shootings triggered savage riots in the capital
which killed at least 1,200 people and led to the downfall of
former president Soeharto.

Answering questions from the foreign press on the shootings,
Minister of Education and Culture Juwono Sudarsono said on Nov.
20 that "there are rogue elements within the military who are
interested in further discrediting the current defense minister
Gen. Wiranto".

Juwono, who had just received students at his office at the
time, however, did not elaborate further on who 'these rogue
elements' were.

He would only say that attempts to discredit Wiranto were part
of "the power struggle up in the top echelons of the government".

The National Commission on Human Rights set up their own team
to investigate the shootings shortly after the incident.

Chairman of the rights body, Marzuki Darusman, said at that
time that the team would complement the government's explanation
of the shootings, pointing out that more information is required
to establish responsibility for the tragedy. (byg)