Soldiers held over abductions

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)