Prosecutors seek 10 years for Kopassus chief Sriyanto

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.