Whereabouts of missing persons must be revealed
JAKARTA (JP): Rights activist Maj. Gen. (ret) Samsuddin strongly urged the Armed Forces (ABRI) yesterday to disclose the fate of the pro-democracy activists still missing now that a former officer had admitted to abducting and releasing nine other activists.
"I believe ABRI knows the whereabouts of the activists," Samsuddin told a discussion held by the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) which has been actively searching for the activists.
"ABRI must explain to the public the missing activists' whereabouts: whether they are still alive or have been killed. If they are still alive they should be returned to their families. If they have been killed, where were they buried?" Samsuddin said.
"The military is responsible for seeking the missing persons, because Prabowo has admitted before the Officers Honor Council he abducted the nine pro-democracy activists," he said. He was referring to the former chief of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto, who was dismissed from the service earlier this week for his involvement in the abduction and torture of the activists.
The nine activists who have been reunited with their families are Pius Lustrilanang, Desmon J. Mahesa, Rahardjo Waluyo Djati, Faisol Riza, Nezal Patria, Mugianto, Aan Rusdianto, Andi Arief and Haryanto Taslam.
Thirteen other missing persons currently being sought by Kontras are Deddy Hamdun, Noval Alkatiri, Ismail, Suyat, Petrus Bima Anugrah, Yani Afri, Sonny, Ucok Munandar Siahaan, Hendra Hambali, M. Yusuf, Y. Muhidin, Triyono and Wiji Thukul. Leonardus Gilang Nugroho Iskandar was been found dead in Magetan, East Java.
Samsuddin, former chief of the Trikora Military Command supervising Irian Jaya and Maluku, also blamed ABRI and its uncontrollable intelligence system for the abductions.
"It is not ABRI's task to abduct and torture Indonesian citizens because ABRI, which came from the people, has as its main task to protect them.
"If ABRI deemed the activists' movement as disruptive to the stability, it could have asked the police to investigate or detain the activists for questioning."
"It has been seen very often that in military operations intelligence officers took actions beyond their authority and without the military commander's knowledge," he said.
He said that based on Prabowo's admission to the Officers Honor Council, it was quite probable that the then chief of the Jakarta Military Command, Maj. Gen. Safrie Syamsudin, knew about the abductions.
"To appease public dissatisfaction with the administrative sanctions imposed by ABRI on Prabowo, (his successor) Maj. Gen. Muchdi Purwopranjono and (Kopassus officer) Col. Chairawan, ABRI should bring them before a military tribunal," he said.
He said the admission of Prabowo and Pius -- who described his abduction in detail -- could be used as legal evidence to prosecute the three officers. (rms)