YLBHI sets up post to trace missing activists
YLBHI sets up post to trace missing activists
JAKARTA (JP): With the number of missing activists increasing,
the Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI)
yesterday set up a monitoring post to help trace their
whereabouts.
"We want to help relatives of the missing activists search for
their family members," Munir, the foundation's deputy chairman
for operational affairs, said.
Relatives of Andi Arief, a student from Gadjah Mada University
in Yogyakarta, and Herman Hendrawan from Airlangga University in
Surabaya, came to the foundation's office to report their
disappearance.
Andi was reported missing last weekend and Herman is thought
to have been missing since March 12.
Munir said his office had so far received 11 reports of
missing activists.
The foundation said it had received reports from relatives of
Pius Lustrilanang, 29, who is the secretary of Siaga, a loose
association which supports prominent government critics including
Megawati Soekarnoputri and Amien Rais, and Desmond J. Mahesa, a
director of the Jakarta-based Nusantara Legal Aid Foundation.
Others reported missing are Faisal Rezha, Rahardjo Waluyo
Djati, and Nezar Patria, all from Gadjah Mada University;
Mugianto and Aan Rusdianto, also university students; and
Haryanto Taslam, a loyal supporter of the ousted Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri, who was
reported missing on March 9.
Munir condemned the alleged abduction of the activists: "If
the activists were guilty of committing a crime, they should have
been brought to trials, not kidnapped."
He believed the disappearances were linked to the outspoken
nature of the missing people, who were all harsh government
critics.
Munir said that he would force police to search for the
activists, as the Armed Forces (ABRI) have already promised.
ABRI spokesman Brig. Gen. A. Wahab Mokodongan said Tuesday
that the Armed Forces headquarters had instructed the National
Police to investigate the disappearances.
Wahab also dismissed allegations that the military were behind
the disappearances. (imn)