Prosecutors seek 10 years for Kopassus chief Sriyanto

Sari P. Setiogi, Jakarta

Prosecutors before the Tandjung Priok human rights trials demanded a 10-year prison term for the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) commander Maj. Gen. Sriyanto Muntarsan on Thursday, for his role in the bloody incident in 1984.

Prosecutor Darmono said Sriyanto was guilty of planning and involvement in the mass killing that claimed 32 innocent lives and injured 54 others.

"Actually, Sriyanto had enough time that night to consider another command, rather than deploying his officers and allowing them to kill civilians," Darmono said.

Sriyanto was operations commander of the North Jakarta Military when troops opened fire on thousands of protesters in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta.

The protesters were demanding the release of four people who were being detained by the military after an earlier demonstration against the country's ideology Pancasila and the government's family planning program.

The court learned that at 10 p.m -- one hour prior to the shooting -- Sriyanto received an ultimatum via a phone call from the late Amir Biki. Amir, who was shot dead that night, had demanded the release of his four friends.

"Amir Biki threatened that, if his four friends were not released by 11 p.m., he would make Koja (in Tanjung Priok) sink in blood," read Darmono in his sentence recommendation.

However, Darmono said Sriyanto still had other options, such as asking for more help.

Sriyanto is one of 13 serving or retired military officers standing trial for the shooting incident on Sept. 12.

Other defendants include Maj. Gen. (ret.) Pranowo and Maj. Gen. (ret.) Rudolf Butar Butar, who were earlier convicted and sentenced to five years and 10 years in prison respectively for allowing their soldiers to commit the massacre. Rudolf remains free pending his appeal.

Prosecutors demanded a five-year prison sentence for Pranowo last week, and the judges will read out the verdict on July 16.

Sriyanto's trial was adjourned until July 15, when he will be given the chance to read his defense plea.

His hearing was adjourned twice as the prosecution was not ready and Sriyanto was absent.

Sriyanto's lawyer Yan Juanda Saputra told the court last week that his client was still on duty in the troubled provinces of Aceh and Papua.

Asked to comment on the case after the trial, Sriyanto said he rejected the prosecutors' demand as he thought it was too heavy.

The trial on Thursday was attended by several senior officers of Kopassus.

A lot of supporters of the ishlah -- peaceful agreement between the military and families of victims of the Tanjung Priok incident -- were also seen at the court wearing navy blue shirts that identified them as a group.

The Tanjung Priok ad hoc rights trials are Indonesia's second attempt to bring soldiers to court for rights abuses after the East Timor case.

In the Timor case, a civilian militia leader received a 10- year prison term but military officers received lesser terms. Many of the military officers were later exonerated by a higher court.