Surabaya - The Brawijaya Military Commander, Major-General Djoko Subroto has denied that his personnel [were responsible for] abducting student activists in East Java some time ago. However he did admit to "arresting" People's Democratic Party (PRD) and [PRD affiliated] Student Solidarity for Indonesian Democracy (SMID) activists. "Please distinguish between abduction and arrest" he said in Surabaya, Thursday (23/7).

Earlier this week, 12 student and artistic activists gave presented their testimonies to the press at the Surabaya Legal Aid Institute (LBH) saying that they were abducted and tortured by members of the armed forces. The twelve activists have only just come forward, because for almost two years they felt that the safety was under threat.

The activists, who are members of the PRD and affiliated organisations, were hunted down by armed military personnel, both in plain clothes and uniform. The were detained without an arrest warrant and their families were not informed were they were being held. Some of them were even arrested while they were on their Kuliah Kerja Nyata (*). Nia Damayanti was arrested while she was two months pregnant. She miscarried after she was released. They experienced various kinds of torture included being beaten and kicked, striped naked, forced to stand in the sun for long periods and electrocuted.

The twelve activists were held for between two and for months at a place owned by Brawijaya Regional Military Command (Kodam) on Jalan Ahmad Yani, Surabaya. "There was no day or night. There was only hell", said Brewok, an artist who is a member of the People's Art Network (Jaringan Kesenian Rakyat).

The twelve activists are still classified as suspects and are not allowed to leave the city. "This restriction is not valid because the arrest and detention procedures were incorrect", said the director of LBH Surabaya, Indro Sugianto.

Activist organisations in Surabaya believe that the arrests of the activists were actually abductions. At the time, the commander of Kodam who was responsible was for the abductions was Major-General Imam Utomo.

Activists abducted by Kodam Brawijaya:

Zainal, University of Wijaya Kusuma (UWK) student, Surabaya, abducted 2/8/96 in Gresik, released 16/8/96;

Trio Yohanes Marpaung, UWK student, abducted 5/8/96 released 16/8/96;

Mohamad Rizal, University of Muhamadyah Malang (UMM) student, abducted 16/7/96 in Malang, released 16/8/96;

Winoranto Adi, UMM student, abducted 8/8/96 released 16/8/96

Mohamad Brewok, artist, abducted 20/7/96, released 10/8/96;

Agung Hardana, UWK student, abducted 12/8/96 at his home, released 2/9/96;

Triana Damayanti, University of Airlangga (Unair) student, Surabaya, abducted 11/8/96 in Blitar, released 2/9/96;

Rauf, IKIP student Surabaya, abducted 18/8/96 in Ngajuk, released 2/9/96;

Budi Hari Wibowo, student UWK, abducted in Probolinggo

Ganjar Kristian, Unair student, abducted 18/8/96, released late September 1996;

David, Unair alumni, abducted 26/8/96 at his home, released 2/9/96;

Nia Damayanti, Unair student, abducted 9/9/96 at her home, released four days later for health reasons.

[Translated by James Balowski, the title of this report was chosen by the translator.]