Six more police officers punished

Six more police officers punished

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar

A police disciplinary committee here on Friday ordered the
detention of six more officers for 21 days for their roles in the
recent attack on the Indonesian Muslim University (UMI), in which
dozens of students were injured.

It also ordered delays in the proposed promotions of police
officers -- all second brigades -- Dian Andriawan, Yudi Afrianto,
Marthen Kandek, Arwin Arief, Arnold Manggabarani and Vahnur
Rasyid.

They were also demoted in rank from operational duties to
serve as staff members.

On Thursday, the same committee had imposed similar
punishments on four other police officers for disciplinary
offenses over the same attack on May 1, 2004.

At least 65 students were injured in the incident when dozens
of police officers stormed the UMI campus after a policeman was
taken hostage by fellow students.

Commissioner Sr. Comr. Machmud Abduh told Friday's trial that
the six officers were proven guilty of disciplinary offenses and
violating existing rules and regulations of the National Police.

They had also not performed the duties of protecting,
sheltering and providing the best service to the public,
responsibly, he added.

Machmud said the policemen had damaged the reputation, dignity
and image of the force when they beat UMI students with their
bare hands or guns -- dragged and kicked them.

The offenders admitted their superiors had ordered their
presence on the campus.

However, it was on their own initiative that they tortured the
students after seeing other police officers doing the same thing,
Machmud said.

They also confessed to testimonies against them by four
witnesses who were present at the hearing.

The police disciplinary committee is scheduled to hear the
case against 12 other officers on Monday.