Wiranto denies responsibility in Trisakti shooting incident

Wiranto denies responsibility in Trisakti shooting incident

JAKARTA (JP): Former Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen.
(ret) Wiranto said on Thursday that he was not responsible for
the shooting incident at the Trisakti University on May 12, 1998.

"As the TNI chief, I was responsible at the policy level and
not the operational level.

"The military's hierarchical structure recognizes a direct-
superior and direct-subordinate assessment system. So, it's quite
clear who must be responsible for mistakes conducted by troops in
the field," Wiranto said in a House of Representatives' special
committee hearing.

The special committee is probing the alleged use of violence
by security forces in dealing with student demonstrations in May
and November 1998, known as the Trisakti and Semanggi incidents.

A military tribunal, established to investigate the Trisakti
incident, sentenced on Aug. 12, 1998 First Lt. Agus Tri Heryanto,
29, and Second Lt. Pariyo, 38, both members of the police's
Mobile Brigade, to 10 months and 4 months in jail respectively.
The officers were found responsible for ordering their men to
shoot into a crowd of demonstrating students, killing four
Trisakti University students -- Heri Hartanto, Elang Mulya
Lesmana, Hafidin Royan and Hendriawan Sie.

Besides blaming the "direct superior", Wiranto also blamed
"the actors" who mobilized demonstrations demanding then
President Soeharto step down. However, he did not name who was
directly responsible for instigating the demonstrations.

Wiranto said security authorities had banned the students from
staging protests outside their campuses to avoid provocation.

"I also told the troops to promote persuasion, while
repression should be a last resort. No live bullets were
allowed," he said.

Wiranto defended the troops, however, saying that they had the
legal authority to take firm action against the protesters as
stipulated in Law No. 9/1998 on demonstrations.

"No one obeys the Law, even now," Wiranto said.

Accompanying the general were former TNI chief of general
affairs Gen. Fachrul Razi, former Armed Forces Intelligence Body
(BIA) chief Maj. Gen. Zacky Anwar Makarim, Military Police chief
Maj. Gen. Djasrie Marin, Head of TNI's Legal Affairs Department
Maj. Gen. Timor P. Manurung and former Jakarta Military Police
chief Col. Hendardji.

Wiranto admitted to having asked Fachrul Razi to withdraw all
police personnel from the field and replace them with Marine
troops from Surabaya.

"The people's hatred toward the police had been increasing
following the (Trisakti) shooting incident. In several places
they burned police posts and even attacked police officers," he
explained.

The retired four-star general said he had ordered the TNI
headquarters to probe the case and reveal the findings to the
public.

"I even asked Sjafrie (then Jakarta Military Commander Maj.
Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsuddin) and Hamami (then Jakarta Police chief
Insp. Gen. Hamami Nata) to convey our apologies, on behalf of the
government and military, to the victims' families," he said.

Many observers have criticized the tribunal established to try
the police officers, saying it was partial because the shootings
were not conducted by police. They assert that military snipers
were utilized "to create martyrs" and expedite the downfall of
Soeharto's regime.

Wiranto denied the allegation by displaying video
documentation of proceedings before and after the incident. (02)