Kopassus chief charged with murder By Catharine Munro 24sep03
INDONESIA'S special forces (Kopassus) chief has been charged with crimes against humanity and accused of murder for his role in the shooting of Muslim protesters in Jakarta 19 years ago. Prosecutors lodged charges under the country's Criminal Code and Human Rights law against Major General Sriyanto, in the Human Rights Tribunal late yesterday. The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is currently in talks with the Indonesian military (TNI) to renew ties between Kopassus and Australia's Special Air Service (SAS) to improve counter-terrorism capabilities. According to the prosecutor's indictment, Sriyanto, 52, is accused of ordering up to 40 troops to shoot at a crowd of Muslims in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, on September 12, 1984, when he held the rank of captain.
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An investigation by the National Commission on Human Rights found at least 24 people were killed and 54 injured in the shooting spree. The killings occurred when the country's former dictator, President Suharto, was in the process of cracking down on Islamic political activists who threatened his regime. The incident, known as the Tanjung Priok case, has been a rallying point for human rights activists and Muslim politicians since Suharto's 32-regime ended in 1998.
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The leader of the Muslim community, Amir Biki, was killed in the incident. Biki had threatened with ordering his followers to murder the Chinese community living nearby if Sriyanto did not order the release of the four detainees, prosecutors said. Several Chinese residents of the area are believed to have been murdered during the protest. The Tanjung Priok trials began on September 15 when Sriyanto's subordinate, Captain Sutrisno Mascung, and 10 other soldiers went on trial accused of firing at the protesters. Yesterday another officer, retired Major General Pranowo, was put on trial. He was head of the Jakarta military police at the time of the shootings.
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