Riots investigation team to query security commanders

JAKARTA (JP): A government-created fact-finding team plans to question a number of security commanders about the riots which hit Jakarta and other cities in mid-May.

"The team will soon interview officials who were in charge of security during the riots to obtain clarification," the 19-member team said in a statement.

The statement did not specify the names of the security commanders or when they would be questioned.

The team's chairman, Marzuki Darusman, told The Jakarta Post that such details would be finalized tomorrow.

A source close to the investigation told the Post that former Jakarta military commander Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and former city police chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata were among those to be questioned.

Sjafrie was replaced by Maj. Gen. Djadja Suparman last month and appointed assistant for territorial affairs to the Armed Forces (ABRI) chief of general affairs.

Hamami was replaced by Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman less than two weeks after the May riots.

The riots erupted in Jakarta and cities like Surakarta, Central Java, in the wake of the deaths of four students shot by security forces during a demonstration on May 12.

At least 1,200 died in the riots and thousands of buildings were looted or burned.

It was also later reported that women, primarily of Chinese descent, became victims of rape and sexual abuse during the riots.

The government established the fact-finding team on July 23. It comprises of representatives from the Armed Forces, government agencies, the National Commission on Human Rights and non- governmental organizations (NGOs) and is charged to investigate and, if possible, unveil the perpetrators of the riots, which some say was organized.

The joint team is expected to complete its task in three months.

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

National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi said Monday that some NGOs had exaggerated such reports.

Roesmanhadi warned that if the NGOs failed to come up with evidence and continued alleging that sexual assaults occurred, they could be charged for spreading unsubstantiated rumors.

Marzuki yesterday decried Roesmanhadi's remarks, which he said "only hampers the team's work".

Speaking to journalists after meeting representatives of a women's rights group, the Civil Society on Violence Against Women, at the Ministry of Justice, Marzuki said "with certainty, I confirm that there are facts (about the rapes)".

He added that Roesmanhadi's statement was "unnecessary" and that the police should not "move ahead" of the team by making such statements.

Activists, including members of the Volunteers for Humanity, led by Catholic priest Sandyawan Sumardi, have reported that 168 women were raped or sexually assaulted between May 13 and July 3.

Marzuki said the team had completed collecting information and was now in its "verification" stage.

The team is divided into three groups: one specifically to verify data, another to hear testimonies and a third to record facts from riot victims.

"Government officials should not make intimidating and contradicting statements before the task force finishes its job," said team member Saparinah Sadli.

Although establishments owned or believed to be connected to Chinese-Indonesians were prominently targeted during the unrest, Sandyawan, another team member, indicated that ethnicity was not the cause of the riots.

"The substantial problem is not war between ethnic groups, nor any group for that matter. It was violence done by a politically motivated and organized group," Sandyawan asserted.

The National Commission on Human Rights argued last month that the reported sexual assaults during the riots were perpetrated systematically by an unidentified group.

Separately, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar Sianipar told reporters yesterday that police would soon hold a meeting with NGOs to exchange views regarding the reports of rapes and sexual abuse during the riots.

Togar admitted that police were having difficulties in investigating such reports.

"We followed all the leads, but it turned out that none of them were true. We are also continuing efforts through our policewomen's teams called Merpati Squads. So far, we haven't found any solid evidence about the reports." said Togar. (byg/edt)