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INDONESIA: Army personnel attack three hamlets, injuring five residents and destroying village property

December 6, 2005

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ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Urgent Appeal

6 December 2005
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UA-228-2005: INDONESIA: Army personnel attack three hamlets, injuring five residents and destroying village property

INDONESIA: Assault; destruction of property; theft
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information concerning an alleged attack on three hamlets in South Sulawesi by a group of army personnel in retaliation over a traffic accident. On 29 November 2005, soldiers from Haerudin’s battalion attacked three hamlets, Karama, Bonto Gaddong and Ujung Moncong, Janeponto, South Sulawesi. They and others from outside the villages attacked villagers and raided at least 82 houses. Five residents and a police officer were injured.

During a visit to the hamlets on November 31, Wirabuana Military commander overseeing Sulawesi, May. Gen. Arief Budi Sampurno promised to conduct disciplinary action and dismiss members of the 700th Raider Infantry Battalion and their chief Lt. Col. Sapto Agustono. He also offered his own dismissal if necessary. Arief has apologised to local residents and ordered soldiers to help rebuild houses. Resort police in Janeponto also improved safety for the people by patrolling all the villages. An internal investigation is also underway.

According to the latest information we received, 25 soldiers who are accused of being responsible for attacking and looting the houses are still being questioned. If found guilty, they would face various punishments, of which most lenient would use administrative sanctions such as deferred
promotion, while the harshest punishment would be dishonourable discharge.

We urge the military police to act speedily to conduct a proper and impartial investigation into what happened. Once this is done we urge the authorities to court martial persons found responsible for the attacks on the civilians and their property.  Owing to the gravity of the crime it is hoped that the punishment will not be confined to disciplinary action alone. While the perpetrators are punished, the victims must be amply compensated. Soon after the incident the military authorities promised to provide compensation and we hope that such promises are translated into action.

In this context we also would like to ask the government to revise the military courts act, which has been pending with the parliament for quite some time.  As the case occurred in a remote area and is due to military brutality, please continue to observe the case’s development and ask the concerned authorities to ensure that promised disciplinary action is carried out and compensation is made available in a timely manner.


Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission
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DETAILED INFORMATION:

Name of victims: Civilian villagers of three hamlets (Dusun Karama, Dusun Bonto Badong, Dusun Ujung Moncong) Desa Banri Manurung, Kecamatan Bangkala Kabupaten Janeponto, South Sulawesi and Police Brig. Syafrie
Alleged perpetrators: Army personnel from the 700th Raider Infantry Battalion and other people from outside the villages
Date and place of incident: 29 November 2005 in Karama, Bonto Gaddong and Ujung Moncong hamlets in Bandri Manurung village, Jeneponto regency, 80 km south of the provincial capital of Makassar, Sulawesi

Case details:

On 26 November 2005, Private Haerudin and Private Sirajuddin from the 700th Raider Infantry Battalion, were riding Haerudin’s motorcycle to Jeneponto for holiday. At Karama, they hit a car that the head of Bahari Beach village, Syaiful Mustamu Karaeng Moncong, was driving. Haerudin and Syaiful fell into a dispute and villagers beat Haerudin, who was later admitted to hospital with injuries to his head.

At around 1 a.m. on 29 November 2005, a group of soldiers from Haerudin’s battalion attacked three hamlets, Karama, Bonto Gaddong and Ujung Moncong. They and others from outside the villages attacked villagers and raided at least 82 houses. Five residents and a police officer were injured. The soldiers jumped out of vehicles wielding sharp weapons and suddenly ransacked houses and smashed cars, motorbikes and home appliances. They allegedly beat several people because they refused to lead them to Syaiful.

One resident, Syahrir, is undergoing treatment at Labuang Baji Hospital in Makassar for stab wounds. Brig. Syafrie said he was beaten up by the soldiers while attempting to stop the attack. He is at Bayangkara Police Hospital, also in Makassar.

The soldiers also looted shop merchandise including oil, cigarettes and 17 sacks of rice for the poor being stored at the house of Bandri Manurung village head Rustam Baso Jaya.

During a visit to the hamlets on November 31, Wirabuana Military commander overseeing Sulawesi Maj. Gen. Arief Budi Sampurno promised to dismiss members of the 700th Raider Infantry Battalion and their chief Lt. Col. Sapto Agustono. He also offered his own dismissal if necessary. Arief has apologised to local residents and ordered soldiers to help rebuild houses; an internal investigation is also underway. An internal investigation is also underway. According to the latest information we have, 25 soldiers who are accused of being responsible for attacking and looting houses are still being questioned. If found guilty, they would face various punishments, of which the most lenient would be administrative sanctions, such as deferred promotion, while the harshest punishment would be dishonor of discharge.


SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please send an appeal letter to the persons listed below and express your concern about this serious case.

Sample letter:

Dear  _____________,

INDONESIA: Army personnel attack three hamlets, injuring five residents and destroying village property

Name of victims: Civilian villagers of three hamlets (Dusun Karama, Dusun Bonto Badong, Dusun Ujung Moncong) Desa Banri Manurung, Kecamatan Bangkala Kabupaten Janeponto, South Sulawesi and Police Brig. Syafrie
Alleged perpetrators: Army personnel from the 700th Raider Infantry Battalion and other people from outside the villages
Date and place of incident: 29 November 2005 in Karama, Bonto Gaddong and Ujung Moncong hamlets in Bandri Manurung village, Jeneponto regency, 80 km south of the provincial capital of Makassar, Sulawesi

On 26 November 2005, Private Haerudin and Private Sirajuddin from the 700th Raider Infantry Battalion, were riding Haerudin’s motorcycle to Jeneponto for holiday. At Karama, they hit a car that the head of the Bahari Beach village, Syaiful Mustamu Karaeng Moncong, was driving. Haerudin and Syaiful fell into a dispute and some of the villagers proceeded to beat Haerudin, who was later admitted to hospital with injuries to his head.

At around 1am on November 29, a group of soldiers from Haerudin’s battalion attacked three hamlets, Karama, Bonto Gaddong and Ujung Moncong seemingly in retaliation for the earlier incident. They and others from outside the villages attacked villagers and raided at least 82 houses. Five residents and a police officer were injured. The soldiers jumped out of vehicles wielding sharp weapons and suddenly ransacked houses and smashed cars, motorbikes and home appliances. They allegedly beat several people because they refused to lead them to Syaiful.

One resident, Syahrir, is undergoing treatment at Labuang Baji Hospital in Makassar for stab wounds. Brig. Syafrie said he was beaten up by the soldiers while attempting to stop the attack. He is at Bayangkara Police Hospital, also in Makassar.

The soldiers also looted shop merchandise including oil, cigarettes and 17 sacks of rice for the poor being stored at the house of Bandri Manurung village head Rustam Baso Jaya.

During a visit to the hamlets on November 31, Wirabuana Military commander overseeing Sulawesi Maj. Gen. Arief Budi Sampurno promised to dismiss members of the 700th Raider Infantry Battalion and their chief Lt. Col. Sapto Agustono. He also offered his own dismissal if necessary. Arief apologised to local residents and ordered soldiers to help rebuild houses

An internal investigation is currently underway. According to the latest information we have, 25 soldiers who are accused of being responsible for attacking and looting houses are still being questioned. If found guilty, they would face various punishments, of which the most lenient would be administrative sanctions, such as deferred promotion, while the harshest punishment would be dishonourable discharge.

I urge you to act speedily to conduct a proper and impartial investigation into what happened. Once this is done I urge the authorities to court martial the persons found responsible for the attacks on civilians and their property.  Owing to the gravity of the crime I would hope that the punishment will not be confined to disciplinary action alone. While the perpetrators are punished, the victims must be amply compensated.

In this context I also urge you to revise the military courts act, which has been pending with the parliament for quite some time. 

I look forward to your positive action in this matter,

Yours sincerely,

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PLEASE SEND LETTERS TO:

1. Gen. Endriartono
Commander-in-Chief of the Indonesian Military
Headquarters of the Indonesian Military
Markas Besar TNI
Cilangkap
Jakarta Timur
INDONESIA
Tel: +62-21-8459 1240
Fax: +62-21-845 6805

2. Maj.-Gen. Ruchyan
Commander of the Military Police
Headquarters of the Military Police
Pusat Polisi Militer TNI AD
Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur
Jakarta
INDONESIA
Tel: +62-21-384 3766
Fax: +62-21-381 3905

3. Maj. Gen. Arief Budi Sampurno
Commander of Military Region VII of Wirabuana
Kodam VII Wirabuana
Jl. Urip Sumoharjo Km.7
Makassar
Sulawesi Slatan
INDONESIA
Tel: +62-411-444987

4. Mr. Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara
Chairperson
The National Commission on Human Rights of Indonesia (Komnas HAM)
Jl. Latuharhary 4B
Jakarta Pusat 10310
INDONESIA
Tel: + 62 21 3925230
Fax: + 62 21 3925227
Email: info@komnas.go.id

PLEASE SEND A COPY OF THE LETTER TO:

1. Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
President of the Republic of Indonesia
Istana Negara
Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara
Jakarta Pusat 10010
INDONESIA
Tel: + 62 21 3845627 ext 1003

2. Mr. Gen. Sutanto
Chief of the National Police of Indonesia
Mabes Berkas Polri
Jl. Trunojoyo No. 3 Kebayouran Baru
Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA
Tel: + 62 21 7218144
Fax: + 62 21 7207277, 7201402
Email: kapolri@polri.go.id

3. Mr. Philip Alston
Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions
Atten: Lydie Ventre
Room 3-016
c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9155
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (general)
E-mail: lventre@ohchr.org

Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission

Document Type :
Urgent Appeal Case
Document ID :
UA-228-2005
Countries :
Issues :
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Extended Introduction: Urgent Appeals, theory and practice

A need for dialogue

Many people across Asia are frustrated by the widespread lack of respect for human rights in their countries.  Some may be unhappy about the limitations on the freedom of expression or restrictions on privacy, while some are affected by police brutality and military killings.  Many others are frustrated with the absence of rights on labour issues, the environment, gender and the like. 

Yet the expression of this frustration tends to stay firmly in the private sphere.  People complain among friends and family and within their social circles, but often on a low profile basis. This kind of public discourse is not usually an effective measure of the situation in a country because it is so hard to monitor. 

Though the media may cover the issues in a broad manner they rarely broadcast the private fears and anxieties of the average person.  And along with censorship – a common blight in Asia – there is also often a conscious attempt in the media to reflect a positive or at least sober mood at home, where expressions of domestic malcontent are discouraged as unfashionably unpatriotic. Talking about issues like torture is rarely encouraged in the public realm.

There may also be unwritten, possibly unconscious social taboos that stop the public reflection of private grievances.  Where authoritarian control is tight, sophisticated strategies are put into play by equally sophisticated media practices to keep complaints out of the public space, sometimes very subtly.  In other places an inner consensus is influenced by the privileged section of a society, which can control social expression of those less fortunate.  Moral and ethical qualms can also be an obstacle.

In this way, causes for complaint go unaddressed, un-discussed and unresolved and oppression in its many forms, self perpetuates.  For any action to arise out of private frustration, people need ways to get these issues into the public sphere.

Changing society

In the past bridging this gap was a formidable task; it relied on channels of public expression that required money and were therefore controlled by investors.  Printing presses were expensive, which blocked the gate to expression to anyone without money.  Except in times of revolution the media in Asia has tended to serve the well-off and sideline or misrepresent the poor.

Still, thanks to the IT revolution it is now possible to communicate with large audiences at little cost.  In this situation there is a real avenue for taking issues from private to public, regardless of the class or caste of the individual.

Practical action

The AHRC Urgent Appeals system was created to give a voice to those affected by human rights violations, and by doing so, to create a network of support and open avenues for action.  If X’s freedom of expression is denied, if Y is tortured by someone in power or if Z finds his or her labour rights abused, the incident can be swiftly and effectively broadcast and dealt with. The resulting solidarity can lead to action, resolution and change. And as more people understand their rights and follow suit, as the human rights consciousness grows, change happens faster. The Internet has become one of the human rights community’s most powerful tools.   

At the core of the Urgent Appeals Program is the recording of human rights violations at a grass roots level with objectivity, sympathy and competence. Our information is firstly gathered on the ground, close to the victim of the violation, and is then broadcast by a team of advocates, who can apply decades of experience in the field and a working knowledge of the international human rights arena. The flow of information – due to domestic restrictions – often goes from the source and out to the international community via our program, which then builds a pressure for action that steadily makes its way back to the source through his or her own government.   However these cases in bulk create a narrative – and this is most important aspect of our program. As noted by Sri Lankan human rights lawyer and director of the Asian Human Rights Commission, Basil Fernando:

"The urgent appeal introduces narrative as the driving force for social change. This idea was well expressed in the film Amistad, regarding the issue of slavery. The old man in the film, former president and lawyer, states that to resolve this historical problem it is very essential to know the narrative of the people. It was on this basis that a court case is conducted later. The AHRC establishes the narrative of human rights violations through the urgent appeals. If the narrative is right, the organisation will be doing all right."

Patterns start to emerge as violations are documented across the continent, allowing us to take a more authoritative, systemic response, and to pinpoint the systems within each country that are breaking down. This way we are able to discover and explain why and how violations take place, and how they can most effectively be addressed. On this path, larger audiences have opened up to us and become involved: international NGOs and think tanks, national human rights commissions and United Nations bodies.  The program and its coordinators have become a well-used tool for the international media and for human rights education programs. All this helps pave the way for radical reforms to improve, protect and to promote human rights in the region.