Jakarta – Several human rights group in Indonesia condemned on Wednesday the appointment of Lieutenant Genral Sjafrie Sjamsoedin, as the Vice Defense Minister for his previous positions which are heavily related to human right violations incidents in Indonesia since 1991 which include East Timor and Aceh.
Director of Imparsial, Rusdi marpaung said on Wednesday "He had not proved his innocence in a string of serious crime against human rights in Indonesia."
Sjafrie was the commander of the national army special squad Special Force Command in East Timor when the Santa Cruz massacre took place in 1991 killed around 250 Timorese.
From 1997 to 1998, at the height of political tension that led to the resignation of Soeharto, he controlled Greater Jakarta Regional Military Command during which over a dozen of activists were missing.
In 1999 he reportedly led the "stealth force" in Aceh before being reassigned to East Timor. He was accused of being involved in the shooting incident at the residence of Dili bishop, Ximenes Belo in September 1999.
He refused to submit to the summon from the National Human Rights Commission in 2002 for questioning on 1998 riot before the downfall of Soeharto and threatened to face subpoena in 2005 for the refusal.
The track records, according to chairman of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence, Usman Hamid made the US government denied access for him into the country when President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visited Pittsburgh last September.
"The appointment could deface Indonesia's human rights enforcement reputation," Usman continued, aside from his unlawful appointment based on the Law No. 34 of 2004 on the National Armed Forces. "Active officer may only hold a non political civilian post."
Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said Sjafrie was the most appropriate officer for the position given his expertise in military techniques and his capability to manage the three divisions of the military. "He did not organize the 1998 riot. He was not involved in student kidnappings."
- Tomi, Gunanto, Bunga Manggiasih, Titis Setianingtyas, Yophiandi