M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – An ad hoc human rights tribunal announced a plan to summon Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, the youngest son of former president Soeharto, to testify in the trial of 11 Army officers accused of the Tanjung Priok massacre in 1984.
The panel of judges hearing the case said Tommy's testimony was needed after the court heard testimony of Muchtar "Beni" Biki, the younger brother of, Amir Biki, a cleric slain in the incident. The judges did not set the exact date as to when Tommy would testify.
Beni appeared in the court to testify against Capt. Sutrisno Mascung, Chief Corp. Asrori, Chief Corp. Siswoyo, Sgt. Maj. Abdul Halim, Second Lt. Zulfata, Sgt. Maj. Sumitro, Chief Sgt. Sofyan Hadi, Chief Corp. Prayogi, Chief Corp. Winarko, Chief Corp. Idrus, and Second Sgt. Muhson.
The soldiers face a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum death penalty sentence if found guilty for violating the Human Rights Law No. 26/2000. Officially, 38 people died in the massacre, after a protest outside the mosque, but unofficial accounts say the death toll was over 100.
Beni told the court that in 1998 Tommy gave Rp 400 million (US$47,000) to families of the victims to help neutralize student demonstrations about the shootings. Beni said Tommy, Soeharto's favorite son, gave out the money in exchange for the relatives' support for the former first family, which was mired in corruption allegations.
"Tommy came to us and asked us a favor – to send people to guard his family home on Jl. Cendana, Central Jakarta from stepped-up student demonstrations," Beni told the court. Beni said he declined the offer, and instead persuaded Tommy to follow the legal course. However, Tommy wouldn't budge and approached other heads of the victims' families.
"After negotiations, money was then given to Syarifuddin Rambe, who later distributed it to 70 relatives of the Priok victims present at the At-Taqwa Mosque in North Jakarta," he said. Rambe was one of the local Islamic leaders who survived the massacre.
The agreement was preceded by a negotiation involving himself, Syarifuddin and three other relatives at Tommy's office on Jl. Merdeka Timur, Central Jakarta, Beni said.