Riot investigation team to provide Wiranto an update

Riot investigation team to provide Wiranto an update

JAKARTA (JP): The government-sponsored fact-finding team
investigating the May riots is scheduled to brief Minister of
Defense and Security/Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto
on Monday on its findings to date.

Team chairman Marzuki Darusman told The Jakarta Post on Sunday
that Minister of Justice Muladi and State Minister of Women's
Affairs Tutty Alawiyah would also attend the closed-door meeting
at the justice ministry. Marzuki, however, declined to mention
details of the team's interim report.

"We can't disclose information pertaining to the interim
report since it is still being discussed," Marzuki said.

Wiranto, Muladi and Tutty were among six officials who signed
a decree establishing the team in July.

The other three officials were Minister of Home Affairs
Syarwan Hamid, Attorney General Andi Muhammad Ghalib and Minister
of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas.

Marzuki admitted that the team was facing difficulties in
carrying out its task, such as enormous public pressure to
announce the results as soon as possible.

Another hurdle, Marzuki said, was ongoing public skepticism
over the extent and scale of the riots.

Marzuki criticized officials for voicing doubts about reports
of rapes and sexual assaults during the riots.

National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi said last month
that some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were exaggerating
reports of rapes and sexual assaults against Chinese-Indonesians.

Roesmanhadi said that if the NGOs failed to come up with
evidence and continued their claims, they could be charged with
spreading unsubstantiated rumors.

Wiranto said last week that ABRI had found no evidence to back
up such claims.

"It's difficult for us since government officials are moving
ahead of the team to make such statements," Marzuki said, adding
that he planned to discuss the matter with Wiranto today.

Activists, including members of the Volunteers for Humanity
led by Catholic priest Sandyawan Sumardi, have said that 168
women and children were raped and sexually assaulted during the
riots. Twenty of them reportedly died or have committed suicide.

Officials, including the police, have since said they have not
found evidence to substantiate the alleged figures.

The National Commission on Human Rights had stated in July
that the rapes and sexual assaults during the riots were
perpetrated systematically by unidentified groups.

May's violence has sparked an international outcry. Ethnic
Chinese communities in several countries have held protests at
Indonesian missions to demand a thorough inquiry and trial of
those responsible.

The 19-member team set up on July 23 includes representatives
from ABRI, government agencies, the rights body and NGOs. It is
assigned to investigate allegations that the riots were
masterminded. The team is expected to complete its task in three
months.

Volunteers for Humanity was the first to allege that the May
riots were incited by people who appeared to have been well
organized.

The group said 1,190 people died after being trapped and
burned during fires and 27 died from gunshot wounds. Thirty-one
people are classified as missing and 91 were injured. (byg)