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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? |
A Statement of Protest Against the Release of Retired Major General
Muchdi Purwopranjono, Defendant on Munir’s Assassination
The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) joins the
local and international human rights community in protesting against the
release of Retired Major General Muchdi Purwopranjono, one of the
defendants in the assassination of Munir, a globally known Indonesian
human rights lawyer and defender and AFAD’s former Chairperson. Muchdi’s
release was based on a ruling of the District Court in South Jakarta on
31 December 2008. Muchdi’s arrest was considered a step forward in the
fight against impunity by the global human rights community which has
without letup been pressuring the Indonesian government to successfully
prosecute Munir’s case. Certainly, the 31 December 2008 verdict comes as
a big disappointment that ushers in a global protest. Since Suharto’s
fall in 1998, no Indonesian general has been successfully prosecuted for
a human rights violation so that the case of Muchdi could have been a
historical first in the fight against impunity in Indonesia. It could
have proven Indonesian’s sincerity in achieving genuine democracy after
its long years of tyrannical dictatorial rule of Suharto.
Munir was poisoned with arsenic leading to his death on Garuda flight
974 from Jakarta to the Netherlands on 7 September 2004. Two men,
Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto and Indra Setiawan, were convicted in the
killing but the charge on Muchdi is related to plotting and ordering the
crime. Muchdi was a former deputy at the State Intelligence Agency
(known as Badan Intelijen Negara, or BIN) and the former
head of the army’s Special Forces unit called Kopassus. Evidence
that points to the involvement of BIN was uncovered during the
trial of Pollycarpus Priyanto, a Garuda pilot. Muchdi was arrested on 19
June 2008 based on the evidence which includes phone conversation
records, documents and sworn statements by intelligence agents. The
court proceedings on Muchdi’s alleged involvement in the killing of
Munir started in August 2008.
AFAD along with local and international human rights organizations
believe “that the evidence presented against Muchdi is compelling.”
However, KontraS and other human rights organizations cited that
some very important sworn statements seemed to be deliberately ignored
in the court proceedings. They also pointed out to the lack of an
effective government witness protection program which could have
re-assured the safety of witnesses. In effect, some witnesses who
previously gave detailed information retracted their sworn statements to
the police while others claimed to have forgotten basic facts or simply
did not appear in court. Most of the witnesses were former or current
intelligence officers and retired members of the military. The 31
December 2008 verdict shows that the judges miserably failed to
withstand the pressure of powerful forces in government more
particularly the security forces. It appears that the Indonesia ruled
and/or strongly influenced by the military in past years is, to a great
extent, exactly still the same Indonesia today and most probably,
tomorrow.
According to a joint press statement of the Human Rights Watch and Human
Rights First, “Muchdi has long been implicated in serious human rights
abuses, including the disappearance of students calling for the ouster
of Suharto in 1998, when Muchdi was the head of Kopassus.
Muchdi’s military career ended in 1998 after a military court found
Kopassus soldiers guilty of abducting activists, 13 of whom have
never been found. Munir had led an investigation into the abductions
when he was chairperson of the Commission on Missing Persons and Victims
of Violence (KontraS). The prosecution has suggested Munir may
have been murdered by Muchdi as revenge for his role in presenting
evidence that led to Muchdi’s dismissal.” However, many observers
believe that the “revenge issue” is but an effort to focus the case on
Muchdi and deviate from the possible involvement of higher-ranking
former and present leaders in the military particularly the intelligence
units.
Munir, was the founder and director of KontraS, the director of
another human rights group, Imparsial and Chairperson of AFAD at
the time of his death. His legal aid career began in Surabaya in 1989.
At one time or the other, he was also the director of the Semarang Legal
Aid office and chief of field operations for the Indonesian Legal Aid
Foundation (YLBHI) in Jakarta. He served as legal counsel of
numerous human rights victims and activists and spoke out for justice
despite intimidation and death threats. Munir was given numerous honors.
He was named “Man of the Year” in 1998 by a leading Indonesian Muslim
periodical, UMMAT, and a “Young Leader for the Millennium” by Asiaweek
in 2000. On the same year, he was one of the recipients of “The Right
Livelihood Award” or the “Alternative Nobel Prize.”
Certainly, the December 31 verdict on Muchdi’s release does not end the
campaign for justice for Munir. The Indonesian judicial system remains
to be strongly challenged to prove its independence by re-opening and
prosecuting the case in a manner that no one is above the law. In the
process, more senior BIN officers who may have participated in
the plot to kill Munir, may be discovered.
Our resounding call keeps on –
JUSTICE FOR MUNIR and for other victims of human rights violations and
enforced disappearances in Indonesia! The achievement of justice for
Munir may be a big step forward and a solid stepping stone in the
continuing fight against impunity in Indonesia and in other countries in
the world.
Signed and authenticated by:
|
MUGIYANTO |
MARY AILEEN D. BACALSO |
| Chairperson |
Secretary-General |
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