Rights body denounces Kontras attack

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The attack on the office of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) on Tuesday was part of efforts to stifle the anti-war movement, the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) asserted.

Komnas HAM also said on Wednesday that the attack was a serious crime as Kontras was a human rights organization with a legal mandate to participate in ensuring better rights protection for all people.

"Regardless of their stance on an issue, a crime against them must be investigated in accordance with the law," Komnas HAM member M.M. Billah said during the commission's plenary meeting.

A mob of 100 people claiming to be members of the Pemuda Panca Marga, a nationalistic group of soldier's kin, attacked the Kontras office on Jl. Cisadane in Central Jakarta on Tuesday, hoping to intimidate its founder, Munir.

Clad in green military-like gear, the thuggish enforcers turned violent and broke furniture and windows at the office, as well as physically assaulting five people.

Munir had criticized the war in Aceh, saying that it was a gross human rights violation that would prevent long-term peace in the province.

Munir, who was in Bandung at the time, is no longer working with Kontras directly, and has established another organization, the Indonesian Human Rights Watch, or (Imparsial).

Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil expressed concern over the attack and called on all parties to respect dissenting opinions among the people.

"This is a democratic country and people should respect other's opinions. Everyone should refrain from violence."

President Megawati Soekarnoputri has repeatedly asked for the full support of her policy in Aceh, both from the Indonesian people and neighboring countries.

National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar pledged on Wednesday to pursue legal action against the perpetrators and suggested a ban on such paramilitary gangs, especially those in uniform.

However, the Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto seemed to dismiss their violence and imply that the dovish Kontras may have had it coming, as a result of their advocacy on behalf of victims of abuse.

"This is a negative excess, perhaps, by people who just got tired of Kontras, who always have negative perceptions about the government's actions," Endriartono said.

"While it may be true that attacking the organization is against the law ... maybe they (Kontras) should look at themselves in the mirror," he quipped.