Tuesday's issue of Kompas reports on the growing concern over a number of "disappearances". While ABRI spokesman Brig.Gen Mokodongan is quoted as saying that ABRI has "nothing to do with" the disappearances of a number of NGO activists, Professor of Law Dr Dimyati Hartono said that the government should respond to the "disappearances" because such things are deeply disturbing to the general public.
According to a report from Lampung, nothing is known yet about the fate of Andi Arief, chairman of SMID, the Indonesian Students' Solidarity for Democracy, [one of the PRD's organisations] who was kidnapped by unidentified persons last Saturday from the home of his brother in Bandarlampung.
The Legal Aid Institute in Bandarlampung said that since the bloody incident at the University of L:ampung on 19 March, three students are still unaccounted for - Umi Masrifa and Bahrul Alam both students at UNILA and Ananda B, a school student.
Professor Dimyati said the government should provide clear explanations about what has happened to these people and must take responsibility for their fate. "It is the responsibility of the state to safeguard the citizen's right to life," he said. At the very least, the goveernment must tell the public what they have done in response to reports from the public about "disappeared" persons. They should say what investigations they have carried out and what they discovered.
He said that if anyone is considered to be guilty of a crime, they should be arrested in accordance with the Procedural Criminal Code and the Police Law. "We need to know who is responsible. If this is not so, things like this can go on happening," he said.
A member of the National Human Rights Commission said the Commission had received reports about at least four people, Pius Lustilanang, Sec.general of Aldera, Desmond Mahesa, director of the Nusantara Legal Aid Institute in Bandung, Haryanto Taslan of the Megawati PDI and Andi Arief who was kidnapped last Saturday.
"These are serious human rights violations and undermine the public's freedom from fear. Disappearances puts into question the activities of the security forces," said Clementino do Amaral, member of the Commission. He warned that this could damage Indonesia's reputation internationally. Three members of the Commission will be going to Geneva next week to attend the UN Human Rights Commission, himself, Marzuki Darusman and Asmara Nababan. It is more than likely that these disappearances will be spotlighted.
Brig.General Mokodongan however said that the armed forces cannot be held responsible for kidnappings. He said it was "not fair" to link the disappearance of a number of activists with army intelligence. "People should also realise that the disappearance of these activists are nothing more than a scheme by certain people who want to show up ABRI in a bad light as a human rights violator on the international arena," he said.