Wahyoe Boediwardhana and Indra Harsaputra, Banyuwangi – The Madiun Military Police (Denpom) is still investigating the alleged involvement of three Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel in a human-smuggling case to transport immigrants from a number of Middle Eastern countries to Australia.
Madiun Denpom commander Maj. Sarwo Edi Purnomo identified the three soldiers only as First Lt. S, and Pvt. K and KA, who are currently being held in Madiun Denpom detention in East Java.
However, the three men have yet to be officially examined because military investigators are still focusing on examining civilian witnesses who were earlier questioned by the police, some of whom have been named as suspects.
"Officers are still examining civilian witnesses to acquire statements on the three Army soldiers' involvement in the human-smuggling case," Sarwo told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
He added that the Madiun Denpom would provide legal assistance for the three TNI members. The legal advisors would accompany them in the planned examination.
Brawijaya Military Commander Maj. Gen. Murdjito earlier promised to impose sanctions against TNI soldiers who were found to be involved in the case.
East Java Anticorruption Network coordinator Lutfi Jayadi Kurniawan said it was difficult to wipe out the immigrant smuggling practice involving TNI soldiers as it had become a long-standing problem. "The only way is for the military institution to carry out bureaucratic reform," he said.
Separately, East Java Criminal Investigations chief Brig. Gen. Ari Dono Sukamto said in Jakarta that police had named Roni Bambang, 40; Nuri, 36; Joko, 20; and Roni, 32; all from Popoh hamlet, Besuki district, Situbondo, East Java, as suspects in the immigrant-smuggling case.
The four suspects have been charged with violating Law No. 17/2008 on shipping and Law No. 6/2011 on immigration, which carry a five-year sentence.
Roni Bambang and Nuri were the boat owners and skipper of the Barokah boat, while Joko and Roni were crew members. They were reportedly involved in transporting the asylum seekers to a blue ferry waiting out at sea.
While heading for Australia, the 25-meter-long wooden boat capsized after being hit by 4-meter-high waves in Prigi waters, Trenggalek, East Java, on the evening of Dec. 17.
A middle-aged Afghan asylum seeker, Samin Gul Afgan, told reporters at the Bhayangkara Police Hospital in Lumajang regency that he still wished to emigrate to Australia because he had paid US$3,000 to a group that promised to take him there.
In Banyuwangi, a joint search and rescue team again found 29 bodies from the ill-fated boat on Thursday. The bodies were already badly decomposed. They were immediately taken to the East Java Police Bhayangkara Hospital in Surabaya for identification.
Banyuwangi Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Nanang Masbudi said 74 bodies had been handed over to authorities in Banyuwangi. As many as 16 other bodies were found Thursday at separate places along Bali's southern shore.
"All of the bodies have been taken to state hospitals. Most of them were sent to Sanglah General Hospital in Denpasar," National Search and Rescue Agency's Denpasar office head Ketut Parwa said.
The bodies were found in offshore areas in North Kuta, Serangan, Batu Bolong, Cemagi, Dawan, Candidasa, Betel Mimba, Tanah Ampo and Nusa Lembongan. Those offshore areas extend over five regencies and more than 100 kilometers of shoreline.
[Ni Komang Erviani contributed to this article from Denpasar.]