Kompas -
November 12, 2010
Jakarta –
Rights activists have expressed disappointment over the Cenderawasih Regional
Military Command (Kodam) military tribunal's verdict in the case of the Papuans
that were tortured in Tingginambut, Puncak Jaya regency, a video of which was
circulated via YouTube not long ago.
Speaking in
Jakarta on Thursday November 11, the coordinator of the Commission for Missing
Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Haris Azhar expressed his regret
that the trial process was forced through. The National Human Rights Commission
(Komnas HAM) he said, should conduct and independent investigation and that the
case should be tried by a human rights court.
Papuan
Presidium Council Secretary General Thaha Al Hamid also expressed regret that
it was not revealed whether or not the people that were tortured were actually
members of the Free Papua Organisation (OPM).
On Thursday,
a judge at the Cenderawasih XVII Kodam III-19 military tribunal handed down
sentence of five months in jail against master private Syahmin Lubis, second
private Joko Sulistyono and second private Dwi Purwanto. The sentences were
heaver than the three months demanded by the prosecutor.
The soldiers
were found guilty of violating Article 103 of the Military Criminal Code in
connection with Article 56 of the Criminal Code, namely violating the orders of
a superior and failing to obey an official order to treat members of the public
correctly.
Infantry
Second Lieutenant Cosmos, who gave the order, was sentenced to seven months in
jail for violating the same articles. This sentence was heaver that the three
months initially demanded by the prosecutor. "This is in fact a problem of
view point. Jakarta still views Papuans as the enemy," said Hamid.
Kontras
believes that the verdict ignored the testimonies of the victims, namely Goliat
Tabuni, K. Wenda and Tives Tabuni. The sentences will also not secure
responsibility from the military command. "This is evidence that the
mechanism of military courts is unable to provide a sense of justice for the
victims and the public and is far from human rights standards", said
Azhar.
Separately,
the Army's elite Special Forces (Kopassus) has been accused of spying on
religious figures in Papua. This was revealed by US journalists Allan Nairn in
his blog on November 9. On his blog, Nairn also attached copies of a Kopassus
Kotaraja military post quarterly
report and a daily
report.
Army
information office chief Brigadier General Widjanarko said that they will
conduct an evaluation in connection with the leak of the documents. (EDN)
[Translated
by James Balowski. The original title of the report was "Papua torture
video – a disappointing verdict".]
