[Kabar-indonesia] 5 articles on second anniversary of Munir's murder

[Joyo at aol.com]

5 articles on second anniversary of Munir's murder

- Two years after Munir murder police asked to question
  Muchdi (again)

- Two years after Munir's death Yudhoyono must reaffirm
  is commitment

- President asked to form new investigation team in
  Munir case

- 500 NGO activists demand police complete Munir
  investigation

- 500 demand chief of police resign if Munir's murder is
  not solved


[Translated by James Balowski.]

Detik.com - September 6, 2006

Two years after Munir murder police asked to question
Muchdi (again)

Veronika Kusuma Wijayanti, Jakarta -- In the lead up
to the second anniversary since the murder of human
rights activist Munir on September 7, police are being
called on to question the former deputy head of the
State Intelligence Agency Muchdi Purwoprajoyo. They
are also being asked not to depend only on information
from former Garuda Airlines pilot Pollycarpus Budihari
Priyanto.

"We are disappointed by the statement by the national
police chief that they are relying on Pollycarpus to
follow up the Munir case", said the head of the
advocacy division of the Commission for Missing
Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Orry Rahman
after meeting with public relations officials at the
national police headquarters on Jl.

Trunojoyo in South Jakarta on Tuesday September 5.

In fact continued Rahman, the police cannot be afraid
of summoning any person who can provide information on
the case. "In district court's verdict [in
Pollycarpus' trial] mentioned several names that
should be followed up, including Prandjono and [two]
Garuda staff who were already [named as] suspects.
This must be followed up", he asserted.

Prandjono he added has already given testimony at
Pollycarpus' trial however there needs to be another
investigation. "The police have not yet incorporated
the material recommendations of the [Munir] Fact
Finding Team. We are asking the police to go to work
again", he added.

National police Chief General Sutanto had previously
asked Pollycarpus to reveal the Munir's killer saying
that the key to the continuation of the investigation
into the Munir case lies with Pollycarpus. (ndr)

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Detik.com - September 6, 2006

Two years after Munir's death Yudhoyono must reaffirm
his commitment

Indra Subagja, Jakarta -- After two years the Munir
case remains unsolved. Only former Garuda Airlines
pilot Pollycarpus Priyanto has been convicted for the
murder of the former human rights activist. The family
and friends of the late Munir say there are strong
political reason why the case has not been solved yet.

"The problem is not a technical one, it depends on the
[political] will of the president and then the police.
But there is a tendency for President SBY (Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono) to vacillate over the impact of the
case being solved. SBY tends to try to avoid the
political implications", said Commission for Missing
Persons and Victims of Violence coordinator Usman
Hamid when speaking to Detik.com in Jakarta on
Wednesday September 6.

According to Hamid, the key to cracking the case is in
the hands of the president. The police only go with
the political flow, so the president must restate his
desire for the investigation into the case to be
completed. "It has been two years already, we hope
that the president will reaffirm his commitment by
forming a new team or by ordering the police to
reinvestigate the case properly", he asserted.

Hamid said that if police insist that the technical
obstacle hindering the investigation is Pollycarpus
being unwilling to provide information then there
would be no significant progress in the case.

"Whereas the police have the authority to question
additional witnesses, also to conduct raids and
seizures, including asking Telkom for the recording of
the conversation [between Pollycarpus and an official
at the National Intelligence Agency]", explained
Hamid.

In addition to this, Hamid said that the police citing
the obstacle of not having investigated the scene of
the crime is just a manufactured excuse.

"The police's argument has no basis, the Dutch
[police] have not conducted an investigation at the
scene of the crime, because that comes under
Indonesia's authority. I suspect the police are not
being serious about completing the investigation into
this case", he said.

Hamid also said that the House of Representatives team
formed to follow up the case has not worked optimally
so it has been difficult to achieve any progress in
solving the case. "What has been undertaken has been
inadequate and only sought to highlight the obstacles
and problems, but it should have been able to uncover
everything", he said.

In the lead up to the second anniversary of Munir's
murder on September 7, a number of events are planned
including a book launch, a night of commemoration and
a discussion about human rights defenders. (ndr)

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Detik.com - September 7, 2006

President asked to form new investigation team in
Munir case

Muhammad Nur Hayid, Jakarta -- Two years after Munir's
murder the case remains a mystery but demands for the
case to be resolved are continuing to be raised.
Munir's wife, Suciwati, is asking President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono to form a new investigation team.

"The results of the earlier [investigation by the
Munir] Fact Finding Team (TPF) were not optimal,
because only one suspect was tried. That is why if the
[investigation] is not supervised [the real
perpetrators] could get away", Suciwati told Detik.com
on Thursday September 7.

According to Suciwati, the new investigation team must
be given more powers than the previous one because
although there was an instruction from the president
to form the TPF, the reality was that it was unable
penetrate the National Intelligence Agency that is
believed to have significant information about Munir's
death.

"The team must [be formed] on the direct orders of the
president, not the House of Representatives or the
national police, and be given more powers so that it
can question anyone", added the mother of two
children.

To commemorate the second anniversary of Munir's
death, hundreds of people from Solidarity for Munir
will hold an action. They plan to go to the Supreme
Court, the Attorney Generals Office and the national
police headquarters.

Munir was a human rights activist who had been active
in the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of
Violence. He died aboard a Garuda Airlines flight to
Amsterdam. Munir's body is buried at the Kota Baru
public cemetery. At the time of the autopsy high
levels of arsenic were found in his body.

Only former Garuda pilot Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto
was convicted of the murder and two Garuda crew
members were named as suspects. It is believed that
Munir's death was the result of a conspiracy.

(nvt)

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Detik.com - September 7, 2006

500 NGO activists demand police complete Munir
investigation

Veronika Kusuma Wijayanti, Jakarta -- Around 500
activists from a number of non-government
organisations held a demonstration at the national
police headquarters on Thursday September 7. They were
demanding that police solve the Munir murder that took
place two years ago.

The protesters, most of which were wearing red T-
shirts gave speeches on Jl. Trunojoyo resulting in a
traffic jam. A number of protesters also wore bamboo
hats and brought effigies made of straw.

Also present at the demonstration was Munir's wife
Suciwati. "Today we are calling in the [President's]
promise. He said the police had given a commitment
they would resolve [the case]. We are tired of
promises. We are only demanding the fulfillment of one
promise, a commitment that must be demonstrated, that
is [finding] Munir's killer", she said.

The coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons
and Victims Violence, Usman Hamid meanwhile questioned
whether the police were being serious in handling the
Munir case. "If [they] are waiting for [information
from] Pollycarpus, that is impossible.

The President it seems is also not serious about
dealing with the case. The president has no
[political] will, it is as if there is a fear", he
said. (umi/nrl)

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Tempo Interactive - September 7, 2006

500 demand chief of police resign if Munir's murder is
not solved

Rudy Prasetyo, Jakarta -- Around 500 people from the
Solidarity Alliance for Munir demonstrated at the
national police headquarters in South Jakarta today.

They were demanding that the police quickly solve the
Munir case and guarantee protection to all human
rights defenders.

"It would be better for Sutanto (the chief of police)
to resign if it is not possible to solve the Munir
case", said Mugianto from the Indonesian Association
of the Families of Missing Persons (Ikohi), which was
greeted by cheers from Munir's supporters.

A black colt pickup car complete with a loudspeaker
and sound system became the stage for speeches.

While listening to the speeches, demonstrators put up
dozens of red banners and cartoons with brightly
coloured messages such as "Uncover the mastermind
behind Munir's killer", and "Who is Munir's murderer".

They also wore red shirts with the writing
"Commemorating two years since the murder of Munir" on
the front and "Munir was killed for being right" on
the back.

The protesters also shouted and sung songs defending
Munir's struggle. "Enough, never again let there be
those who disappear and die", sang the protesters like
a choir. After the demonstration at police
headquarters they moved off to protest at the Supreme
Court.

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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