Farouk Arnaz, Jakarta – Leading human rights watchdog Amnesty International has called on the government to establish a fact-finding team to probe last Tuesday's deadly shooting of eight protesters by police in Buol, Central Sulawesi.
The call came after police said on Sunday that only one of the officers who fired into the crowd was likely to be named a suspect.
The protest, which also resulted in injuries to 34 civilians and 19 officers, was sparked by allegations that a motorcycle taxi driver, Kasmir Timumun, was tortured to death while in police custody.
While police insist that Kasmir hanged himself in his cell, Amnesty International said "his family alleged that there were signs of torture or other ill-treatment such as bruises on parts of his body and neck.
The family continues to be denied access to the medical autopsy report on Kasmir Timumun's death."
Kasmir had been arrested for speeding and injuring a police officer. His death led to a violent protest that saw rioters throw stones and Molotov cocktails at the Biau subprecinct police station in Buol.
In a clear breach of police protocol on the discharging of weapons, officers at the scene opened fire on the crowd with live rounds of ammunition. In crowd-control situations in Indonesia, law enforcement are only permitted to use rubber bullets.
On Sunday, Central Sulawesi Police Chief Brig. Gen. Amin Saleh told the Jakarta Globe that only one of the 11 provincial police officers and five Buol Police officers at the scene would be named as a suspect.
A joint investigation by the provincial and National Police indicated that Brig. Amirulloh from Buol Police could find himself up on charges. "[A witness has testified that] he shot a civilian in the back and through the left ribs," Amin said.
He added that no witnesses had come forward to implicate any of the other officers involved in the incident, saying "We still need to collect more evidence and witness testimonies." The joint team has since said it would treat the suspicious death at the Biau station as a separate case from the arson and rioting at the police station.
Meanwhile, the latest victim of the shooting, identified as Supriyadi, died in hospital on Saturday. "We've apologized to all the affected families by visiting their homes in a show of condolence," Amin said. "This tragedy should not have happened."
The seven other victims have been identified as Muslim, Amran Abjali, Arfandi, Ridwan Majo, Herman Hasan, Rasyid Jopori and Saktipan.
Police had earlier identified four officers who were being questioned at the Central Sulawesi Police headquarters over the incident.
They are Buol Traffic Police Chief First. Insp. Jefri Pantow, Biau Police Chief First Insp. Zakir Butudoka, Brig. Amirulloh, and Brig. James Jhon Pantow.
The incident outstrips a botched community eviction attempt in April in Koja, North Jakarta, as the deadliest police-fueled clash of the year. On that occasion, three public order officers were killed and 231 officers and civilians were injured.
Amnesty International's call for an inquiry is the latest since the publication in June 2009 of its report "Unfinished Business: Police Accountability in Indonesia," which "highlighted the current weaknesses in existing internal and external police accountability systems, which contributes to the impunity of the Indonesian police."
The group says an inquiry is needed to "receive complaints; carry out effective investigations; and refer cases to the Public Prosecutor or to the police internal disciplinary body."
It also said that the police and national rights commission are "inadequate in dealing with complaints about police abuses, and bringing justice and reparations to the victims."