Rights abuses in Pasuruan

Rights abuses in Pasuruan

SURABAYA, East Java: The police were guilty of committing
human rights violations when they acted to quell protests in
Pasuruan between May 28 and May 30, the joint independent fact-
finding team investigating the incidents said on Tuesday.

The team's coordinator, Abdul Hamid, said the violations
ranged from unlawful arrests, beatings, torture and shooting
which killed local resident M. Fathan and injured dozens of other
people.

"The security forces arrested people from outside the
protests who were not involved in them," he said, adding that
torture was mostly committed later in the police lockup.

"Detainees were burned with cigarettes, told to undress and
not allowed to perform their prayers," he said.

Abdul claimed that the protests, aimed at supporting President
Abdurrahman Wahid, were led by local cleric Masyhudi Nawawi and
were proceeding peacefully. But, at the same time there was an
unidentified group staging a similar protest.

"It was this unidentified group which provoked the arson and
destruction in a number of places, including churches and
schools," Abdul said.

Abdul, however, said that the group had still not been
identified.

The 50-member team consisted of local ulemas, Christian
clergymen, students and political party executives. The fact-
finding team had already submitted their report to President
Abdurrahman Wahid when the latter visited Pasuruan some time ago.
(nur)