Soldiers held over abductions

JAKARTA (JP): The Military Police have detained five officers of the Army's special force (Kopassus) in connection with a series of abductions of political activists over the past year and are preparing dossiers for their courts-martial, Antara reported yesterday.

Two further special forces members are "under intensive investigation", the news agency said.

Military Police chief Maj. Gen. Syamsu Djalal, who made the announcement, declined to give their names, ranks or units, stressing the need to uphold the principle of presumption of innocence.

Last night Antara quoted informed sources as saying that the five consisted of one captain, one major two colonels and a general, without specifying the general's precise rank.

The arrests came only hours after the Armed Forces (ABRI) Headquarters disclosed the involvement of several sepcial forces personnel in the abduction of the activists. This confirmed allegations made several months ago by human rights organizations.

ABRI spokesman Maj. Gen. Syamsul Ma'arif, in a statement faxed to media representatives shortly after midnight yesterday, said there was a "procedural error" in the way special forces personnel carried out their commander's orders to investigate the activities of radical groups in Indonesia.

"They exceeded their orders," he said.

Syamsul said ABRI's fact-finding team conducted the investigation, and talked to senior Kopassus officers.

He did not say whether those questioned included Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto, who was Kopassus commandant-general at the time the abductions took place.

ABRI has been criticized by human rights groups, including the National Commission on Human Rights, for dragging its feet in investigating allegations that military units were responsible for the disappearances of dozens of activists in the run-up and during the People's Consultative Assembly General Assembly in March.

The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) at one stage had a list of 21 activists who had disappeared. Many of those who were released initially refused to discuss their ordeal, but one by one subsequently overcame their fears of threats to their lives or their families.

Those who came forward told of harrowing tortures, known to be used by the military, to extract incriminating statements either against themselves or against their fellow activists.

Kontras believes 12 people are still missing.

In the absence of any progress, Kontras has already asked for the assistance of the International Committee of the Red Cross and plans to take the case to the United Nations.

ABRI Commander Gen. Wiranto, who is also the minister of defense and security, has repeatedly asked for patience, promising that the military would get to the bottom of the disappearances.

Syamsu did not rule out the possibility of more suspects being detained since the investigation was still continuing.

The Military Police have questioned 43 people, including 20 members of the Armed Forces, he said.

Syamsul said Kopassus members were involved in the kidnappings of Pius Lustrilanang, Desmond J. Mahesa, Haryanto Taslam, Andi Arief, Feisal Reza and Waluyo Jati, and the detention of Nezar Patria, Aan Rusdiyanto, and Mugiyanto.

All except Andi Arief have been released. Andi was handed over by his abductors to the National Police and is still being detained. Police have promised to release him soon.

Syamsul said the ABRI investigators were working with private groups including the National Commission on Human Rights. They visited various ABRI installations believed to have been used to detain the activists.

Those guilty would be court-martialled, he added.

Syamsul appealed for public appreciation of ABRI's courage and honesty in admitting errors, "no matter how bitter".

The ABRI leadership hoped that by doing this, there would be no more public polemic on the issue, he said.

"Let's focus all our thoughts and concentration on the future, which is filled with obstacles and challenges."

Syamsul disclosed that ABRI would soon establish a bigger, independent, investigation team, involving private organizations, to look into the widespread riots in May.

ABRI investigators have already identified the "field operatives" who mobilized the mobs during the riots, he said.

The ABRI team concluded that the riots were complex, caused by an accumulation of political, economic, sociocultural and other problems.

"They had been accumulating for so long, and then exploded through the `information media,'" he said. (byg/emb)