M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The House of Representatives has demanded that the government act upon findings from the National Commission on Human Rights on the 1997 forced disappearance of 13 pro-democracy activists.
House Commission III on law and domestic security said in its recommendation that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono should quickly orchestrate efforts to find the missing activists who were abducted by elements in the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) prior to the fall of then president Soeharto in 1998.
The commission also blasted the Attorney General's Office for refusing to follow up on the Komnas HAM findings and suggested the two institutions co-operate more closely in the future.
"Komnas HAM and the Attorney General's Office should sit together and talk through the investigation. The office should carry out its investigation afterward," Commission III chairman Trimedya Panjaitan said in a hearing with Komnas HAM.
Earlier in the meeting, Komnas HAM members expressed their grievances about the government's refusal to follow up their reports on the missing activists.
"In spite of the significant evidence that we have found, the Attorney General's Office refused to carry out its own investigation. It has refused to seek testimony from experts or look for new evidence at locations considered to be places where the activists were allegedly held captive," Komnas HAM member Enny Suprapto said.
Komnas HAM earlier reported that there were 13 abductees. They were identified as Yani Afrie, Sony, Herman Hendrawan, Dedi Hamdun, Noval Alkatiri, Ismail, Suyat, Petrus Bima Anugrah, Wiji Thukul, Ucok Munandar Siahaan, Hendra Hambali, Yadin Muhidin and Abdun Naser.
They were abducted, along with other pro-democracy activists in the last days of Soeharto's regime. Some of the activists, namely, Andi Arief, Faisol Reza, Pius Lustrilanang, Desmond Mahesa and Haryanto Taslam were released by their captors after experiencing physical and psychological torture.
Commission chief Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara said that chief of the Indonesian Military (TNI), chief of the Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad), chief of the Jakarta Military Command and chief of the military intelligence agency (BIA) at the time of the abduction could be held accountable for the operation.
The TNI leadership dismissed in August 1998, then chief of Kostrad Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto and his protege Maj. Gen. Muchdi PR and Col. Chairawan for their involvement in the abduction. No charges were brought against the three, however.
Commenting on the Attorney General's Office refusal to act upon its findings, Garuda said that the agency was faced with formidable political constraints. "The Attorney General's Office is dealing with political problems that have slowed them down in resolving the case," said Garuda.