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.