Trisakti defendants deny police used live ammunition
Trisakti defendants deny police used live ammunition
JAKARTA (JP): The two defendants in the Trisakti shooting
incident told the military tribunal yesterday that none of the
police officers under their command used live ammunition during
the May 12 incident.
The defendants -- company commander First Lt. Agus Tri
Heryanto, 29, and platoon leader Second Lt. Pariyo, 38 -- both
from the city police Mobile Brigade Unit, reiterated that they
had acted according to the Guidelines of Procedures for Coercive
Actions in Handling Riots No. 02/V/1997.
"Only one of the three platoons in my company had guns. The
peleton tindak (Action Platoon), led by Pariyo, had 18 personnel
equipped with SS-1 rifles," Agus, who graduated from the Armed
Forces Academy in 1994, told the court.
"Each gun was loaded with three blank bullets and 12 rubber
bullets," he added.
According to Agus, the personnel in the remaining platoons
under his command were anti-riot squads equipped with five tear
gas canisters, shields and thick rattan canes.
He told the judge that he ordered his men to open fire because
the situation appeared to be heading out of control.
"The situation changed so quickly. Crowds started throwing
rocks, bricks and sharped bamboo canes toward our anti-riot
squad. We tried to push them back but it did not work.
"I thought the situation was life threatening so I gave the
order to fire tear gas to disperse the crowds," Agus explained.
When the crowds continued to attack my officers I ordered the
tindak platoon to load and prepare their weapons, Agus explained.
Pariyo supported the testimony given by Agus, saying that he
heard his First Lieutenant yell the order.
About five minutes later, the crowd became really agitated,
Pariyo recalled. "That's when my commander (Agus) gave the order
to open fire."
Agus reiterated that all of his men ran out of ammunition at
about 6 p.m.
"After that I continued to hear shots being fired from other
directions. They were not fired by the police. The shots were
louder than the sound of rubber bullets being discharged," Agus
said.
The ninth session of the trial turned into a heated argument
yesterday after the presiding judge Col. Sudji Suradi fired a
barrage of questions at Agus regarding his actions during the May
12 incident.
"Why didn't you try to meet and report your arrival to the
West Jakarta Police Chief (Lt. Col. Timur Pradopo, the most
senior officer in the field)?
Why were you wearing a cap instead of the regulation helmet?"
Sudji asked.
Agus replied that he couldn't leave his men unsupervised for
too long and that it was his responsibility to stay with his
company.
"I wore a cap because as a field commander I have to
communicate with a lot of people and a helmet is a hindrance,"
Agus said.
"See! You violated the procedures! All officers have to wear
helmets for safety reasons. You were wrong!" Sudji yelled.
The head of team of defense lawyers Adnan Buyung Nasution
interrupted Sudji. "You cannot do this to him (Agus). You are
supposed to ask questions, not make conclusions. You can conclude
later."
"I am not forcing him! Listen, this is a military court. I'm
in charge here," Sudji shouted back.
Jakarta Military Police Commander Col. Hendardji told
reporters after the trial that he would send 21 weapons allegedly
used in the incident for independent ballistics tests in
Singapore.
The trial was adjourned until next Tuesday.
In another related development yesterday, the newly-appointed
National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi told reporters that he
would not change the defense lawyers in the case.
Also yesterday, Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces
(ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto said the investigation into the
shooting of the four Trisakti University students would continue,
despite the two officers having been brought to trial. (edt/imn)