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Statements of AFAD
Proceedings:
Articles on the Proceedings on the AFAD Leadership Training
Jan. 27 - 31, 2003, Philippines
AFAD Second Congress Resolutions
August 2003
Remembering Munir
AFAD Second Congress
August 26-30, 2003 in Bangkok, Thailand
AFAD’s Mid-Year Report
Ding Zilin's
Message To
Hong Kong
Again, The KONTRAS – IKOHI Office Was Attacked
“ If they are dead, tell us”!
My sons, where are they?
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Again, The KONTRAS – IKOHI Office Was Attacked
Monday, May 26, 2003
14:00 KONTRAS and IKOHI conducted a press conference for the
commemoration the International Week of the Disappeared.
14:30 Suddenly about 30 people from the Pemuda Panca Marga – PPM (The
Youth of the Veterans) in their para-military uniforms came to the
office for demonstration. They demonstrated against Munir (founder of
KONTRAS) and KONTRAS for their criticism against the policy of the
government in handling the Aceh problem by conducting Integrated
Military Operation. The position and criticism, according to the PPM,
show that Munir and KONTRAS are not nationalists but are disrupting the
principle of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. In their
statements, they accused Munir and KONTRAS as foreign agents who are
selling human rights for money. Representing KONTRAS, Usman Hamid said:
“We all love Indonesia, our country. But KONTRAS has a different way of
showing and expressing our love for the country. KONTRAS is concerned
most about the safety of the civilians in Aceh and is opposed to any
form of military operation.”
15.30 The PPM left the KONTRAS office, but locked the gate in the name
of the state.
Tuesday, May 27, 2003
13:30 About 150 people in PPM field uniform marched to the office of
KONTRAS –IKOHI. They came angry as shown in their red eyes and sweaty
faces. In front of the office, they called Munir to come out and meet
them. Munir was not there at that moment because he was giving a lecture
to the Army Staff College in Bandung, West Java). The angry group got
close to the door of the office. They kept yelling and shouting
“Munir-KONTRAS, the traitor, not nationalist, foreign agent, destroyer
of the unitary state, pro GAM (Free Aceh Movement)”. Ori Rahman, Usman
Hamid (of the Presidium of KONTRAS) and other KONTRAS staff, journalists
and guests came out to meet them. The big mass of PPM members forced Ori
Rahman and Usman Hamid to show their nationalism and love for the
country by singing the Indonesian national anthem. Ori and Usman refused
because it was an insult. They violently forced them to sing by pushing
Ori and Usman back. Then Ori tried to sing the national anthem. Not
finished with the song yet, the PPI elements pushed and hit Ori Rahman,
Usman Hamid and other KontraS staff who tried to control the assailants.
The situation became chaotic. They kept on beating and punching Ori
Rahman and Usman and forcibly went inside the office and destroyed it.
With stones and chairs, they broke the glass windows, the door and all
pieces of equipment in the front room. They broke down the chairs,
benches, cupboard, tables, posters, filing cabinet, and the pieces of
equipment at the front room. Three people were wounded. Ori Rahman and
Usman Hamid (KONTRAS Presidium members), Gianmoko (Public Opinion
Division) were beaten and kicked. Gianmoko’s left eye bled. The three
wounded persons were brought to a hospital in the evening. They are now
out of the hospital.
13:30 The PPI elements left KONTRAS heading to the office of PBHI
(Association of Law and Human Rights Advocate) that has a similar
position with that of KONTRAS regarding government policies. One staff
of PBHI got wounded, but succeeded in forcing the PPM to go.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
1. PPM is an organization of the children of the veterans, whose office
is at the same place as the office of the military based on its level.
Those who attacked KONTRAS office is the PPM Central Jakarta Branch,
whose address is at the Military District Command.
2. When the attack happened, the police was around, but was doing
nothing. Later, they said that the assailants were too many to handle.
3. KONTRAS is filing the case. The police promised to arrest the
attackers.
4. The three people who are wounded in the attack are all from KONTRAS.
ACTION TAKEN AS OF MAY 26, 2003
At 15.30, human rights organizations in the coalition of human rights
NGOs carried out a press conference condemning the attack. The
Indonesian Human Rights Watch (IMPARSIAL) said that it is an attack to
law, human rights and democracy. It demanded the police to enforce
justice, PBHI said. It is an implementation of the Integrated Military
Operation carried out in Jakarta. Other organizations, including IKOHI
and KONTRAS said that the incident was a concrete manifestation of the
rise of militarism and fascism. Moreover, it is believed that civil
society is threatened by the present government because the military is
getting dominant over civilian authority.
For KONTRAS and IKOHI, the attack was like a “cadeau of a gift” as it
happened just at the beginning when we now commemorate the International
Week of the Disappeared.
But most of all, the attack showed the effectiveness of our work in
controlling, criticizing and correcting government policies.
Never give up! Keep fighting!
MUGIYANTO
Chairperson
IKOHI
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