UPDATE (Indonesia): House of Representatives demand fresh investigations into the murder of Munir 

[RE: UA-164-2004: INDONESIA: The family receives death threats for demanding an impartial inquiry into the death of Munir; UP-30-2005: INDONESIA: Unveiling of suspect in Munir’s death may end further inquiries; UP-47-2005: INDONESIA: State intelligence officers delay Munir investigation; UP-72-2005: INDONESIA: Mandate of fact-finding team into Munir’s murder should be extended and made more effective; UP-83-2005: INDONESIA: Police fail to follow up on fact-finding report into Manir case; President does not react to requests for monitoring of the investigation; UP-96-2005: INDONESIA: Trial of Pollycarpus ignores fact-finding team reports; UP-125-2005: INDONESIA: President and Parliament must audit the police investigation performance in Munir’s case; UP-159-2005: INDONESIA: Need for further investigation in Munir case; UP-165-2005: INDONESIA: Pollycarpus sentenced to 14-years imprisonment for murder of Munir; UP-042-2006: INDONESIA: President must take firm steps to ensure investigation of Munir’s death follows court recommendations; UP-085-2006: INDONESIA: High Court rejects appeal in Munir’s case; UP-184-2006: INDONESIA : Munir’s murderers remain at large, as official investigations take a turn for the worst; UP-198-2006: INDONESIA: Hopes for Justice dashed in Munir’s murder case, as Supreme Court finds prime suspect, Pilot Pollycarpus BP, not guilty]
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INDONESIA: Assassination, Improper Investigation, Delay in Justice, Defunct Rule-of-Law
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the recent developments in the assassination case of Indonesia’s most prominent and internationally renowned human rights activist, the late Mr. Munir Said Thalib. We have  been informed that the House of Representatives (HoP) has demanded that the President reopen the investigations into Munir’s case and has also called for the immediate appointment of an independent investigative outfit on the 7 December 2006.

UPDATED INFORMATION:

After two years of scandal ridden investigations and prosecutory trial, the Panel of Judges of the Supreme Court in Jakarta returned with a verdict of ‘not guilty’ in the prosecution case against prime suspect, Garuda Airways Pilot Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto on the charges of premeditated murder on 3 October 2006 (See further: UP-198-2006). The Supreme Court ruling created uproar amongst the late Munir’s far-reaching support-base, his former activist colleagues, and his bereaved family.

In a surprise turn of events, the House of Representatives (HoP) publicly demanded that the President reopen the investigations into the late Human Rights Defender’s murder, and called for the immediate appointment of an independent investigative outfit, on 7 December 2006.

In a House plenary meeting, attendant members endorsed the proposal to appeal for fresh investigations in order that Munir’s murderers may finally be brought to justice. Said Chairman of the HoP, Mr. Taufiqurrahman Saleh on the matter; “The establishment of the team will show the Government’s commitment…to resolving Munir’s death“. In their proposal, the HoP recommended that Chief of National Police, General Sutanto head the fresh investigations, but in close collaboration with the President and International bodies. The HoP’s proposal has won the full support of local activists, the Executive Director of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KONTRAS) Mr. Usman Hamlid and Munir’s widow, Mrs. Suciwati, both of whom were present at the HoP plenary session.

Said Mrs. Suciwati after the close of the HoP plenary session; “I am happy with this recommendation. This is a formal decision from the HoP, which means that it is the voice of the people, and we hope the President is listening…Should he fail to do so, his promises to solve Munir’s murder are empty“.

Despite the President’s establishment of a Fact-Finding Committee, appointed specifically to conduct investigations into Munir’s murder, the findings of the Committee’s investigations, were never fully disclosed to the public. Despite the recent findings of the Central Jakarta District and Jakarta High Court’s evaluational examination which implicated a number of persons, including Major-General Muchdi PR (Deputy of the Badan Intelijen Negera (BIN), a State Intelligence Body), no further investigative and/or prosecutory action has been taken by the Attorney General, the Supreme Court, the National Police nor the President.

Although the calls for fresh investigations by the HoP is indeed a positive sign, the AHRC is concerned as to whether these investigations will suffer the same fate as they have done in the past; become trapped in bureaucratic and political red-tape, and eventually reach a dead-end.

To see details of the ongoing investigations into and prosecutory trial of Munir’s case for the past two years, please refer to our previous appeals:

UA-164-2004: INDONESIA: The family receives death threats for demanding an impartial inquiry into the death of Munir
UP-30-2005: INDONESIA: Unveiling of suspect in Munir’s death may end further inquiries
UP-47-2005: INDONESIA: State intelligence officers delay Munir investigation
UP-72-2005: INDONESIA: Mandate of fact-finding team into Munir’s murder should be extended and made more effective
UP-83-2005: INDONESIA: Police fail to follow up on fact-finding report into Manir case; President does not react to requests for monitoring of the investigation
UP-96-2005: INDONESIA: Trial of Pollycarpus ignores fact-finding team reports
UP-125-2005: INDONESIA: President and Parliament must audit the police investigation performance in Munir’s case
UP-159-2005: INDONESIA: Need for further investigation in Munir case
UP-165-2005: INDONESIA: Pollycarpus sentenced to 14-years imprisonment for murder of Munir
UP-042-2006: INDONESIA: President must take firm steps to ensure investigation of Munir’s death follows court recommendations
UP-085-2006: INDONESIA: High Court rejects appeal in Munir’s case
UP-184-2006: INDONESIA : Munir’s murderers remain at large, as official investigations take a turn for the worst
UP-198-2006: INDONESIA: Hopes for Justice dashed in Munir’s murder case, as Supreme Court finds prime suspect, Pilot Pollycarpus BP, not guilty

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the authorities below, expressing your approval and full support of the HoP’s proposal as well as your concern regarding the potential danger of these investigations being compromised by political power-struggles.