Relatives demand probe on Priok killings

JAKARTA (JP): Lawyers and relatives of victims of the 1984 military shooting in North Jakarta's Tanjung Priok Port area are demanding a new, thorough investigation into the violence that killed dozens.

The group also demanded questioning of former vice president Gen. (ret) Try Sutrisno and former defense minister Gen. (ret) L.B. Moerdani, respectively commanders of the Jakarta military and Armed Forces at the time of the incident.

"If necessary, (former president) Soeharto should also be questioned concerning the case," said Ahmad Hambali, one of the 40 lawyers from several prominent rights groups who banded together in the Lawyers Coalition for Priok's Case to push for the reopening of the investigation. Among the groups are the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) and the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI).

In a media conference at the foundation's office, the coalition said both Try and Moerdani were responsible for the order to shoot at the crowd.

The military claimed only 18 were killed on Sept. 12, 1984, when it opened fire on antigovernment protesters, but relatives and witnesses have said more than 400 people died and their bodies dumped at sea.

Muslim preachers were accused of inciting the Tanjung Priok residents after security personnel desecrated a mosque. In the ensuing crackdown on Muslim activists, dozens of preachers and their students were tried and convicted.

The government subsequently declared the case closed.

The group of lawyers said it officially lodged a demand for reopening of the case on Thursday with the military police "because we believe the military was involved in the killing, abductions and violence 15 years ago".

As a result of the demand, the military police said it would summon relatives of the victims for questioning on Monday.

The lawyers also expressed concern that their attempt would be stymied if the bills on state security and on the National Commission on Human Rights, currently under deliberation by the House of Representatives (DPR), are endorsed.

"The two bills are principally antidemocratic and appear to justify the military (security approach)," Ahmad said. He warned the documents could provide the government with the legal leeway to frustrate efforts to settle past cases of rights violations. (emf)