Student relates kidnapping tale

BOGOR, West Java (JP): A student activist revealed at the Ampera Legal Aid Office (LBH-Ampera) on Wednesday that he was abducted and detained for 24 hours by three unidentified men.

G. Anwar Abilio Soares, a student at Bogor's Djuanda University, said he was questioned regarding the university law school's plan to commemorate Human Rights Day on Dec. 10. The function is scheduled to feature activists Ratna Sarumpaet, Sandyawan Sumardi and several former abduction victims.

"The men had regular hairstyles, not crew cuts like members of the Armed Forces," Anwar said. He heads the senate of the School of Law and chairs the Bogor branch of the Indonesian Moslem Students Association (PMII).

He said he was abducted on Saturday. The three men called him from a green Kijang vehicle and he was forced into the vehicle when he approached. "They immediately covered my eyes with a cloth and tied my hands."

Thirty minutes later Anwar said they arrived at a building in a cool-climated area where he was questioned about the planned commemoration, the relationship between LBH Ampera and the student group City Front (Forkot) and other issues. He said he was accused of being involved in efforts to topple the government.

After the questioning, Anwar said he was repeatedly hit in the face and then left in a chair.

The next morning he was warned not to reveal details about his abduction before he was dumped in Gadog, Ciawi, with his eyes blindfolded and hands tied. He said a vendor untied him and he caught a public minibus back to the city.

Anwar said he was too fearful to make a police report. LBH Ampera's director MH Sinaga said the incident had been reported to the National Commission on Human Rights and the Bogor police and military. (24)