UPDATE (Indonesia): State intelligence officers delay Munir investigation 

Dear friends,

According to updated information received by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), the Indonesian police have named two further suspects in the death of human rights activist Munir. They are Oedi Irianto and Yeti Susmiarti, both employees of Garuda, who have been taken in for questioning.

Meanwhile, senior Garuda officials responsible for issuing false documents allowing Pollycarpus Priyanto–the first official suspect–to board the same flight as Munir as a security officer have not been apprehended, and neither have two intelligence officers also suspected to be involved. In fact, the intelligence agency BIN have yet to meet with the government-backed fact finding team TPF (Tim Pencari Fakta), responsible for the investigation of Munir’s death.

Unless those ultimately responsible for the planning and execution of Munir’s murder are arrested and prosecuted–be they senior government or military officials–justice will not be served. Rather, with others taking the blame, the course of justice will be further perverted. The AHRC thus calls for you to urgently write to President Yudoyono and the Indonesian authorities and demand them to take effective steps regarding the investigation and proceedings.

Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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UPDATED INFORMATION:

Oedi Irianto was working in the galley during the flight Munir died, and Yeti Susmiarti was a stewardess. They were in charge of the meal Munir was served on the first leg of his flight, from Jakarta to Singapore. They are the second and third official suspects in the arsenic poisoning of Munir, who died during a Garuda flight to Amsterdam on 7 September 2004. (See further: UA-164-2004, UP-30-2005)

However, the police have done nothing regarding four other Garuda employees, identified by the government-backed fact finding team TPF (Tim Pencari Fakta) as being related to the case.

Furthermore, two BIN officials were also identified by the TPF, although not named. They have also not been accounted for by the police, and the chief of the intelligence agency has yet to meet with the team. According to the TPF, BIN has not been cooperative in conducting their investigation, rejecting several invitations for meetings. The latest meeting had been scheduled for 14 April 2005, but Nurhadi Jazuli again failed to show up. Mr Nurhadi is the former BIN secretary, recently appointed as the ambassador to Nigeria. His refusal to meet with the team indicates that BIN may only be paying lip service to President Yudhoyono’s instruction that all state agencies give full assistance to the team’s investigation.

Until the fact finding team are able to meet with BIN and prepare a report for the police, the police will take no action to investigate. It must be remembered that the team was established by the President due to concern at the slow pace of police investigation into this case. Furthermore, the impartiality of the police is also of concern; while police chief Dai Bachtiar has stated that his office would investigate all those suspected of involvement in Munir’s death, including BIN members, local groups have little respect for his track record. Bachtiar is alleged to have protected senior military officials guilty of serious crimes in the past; there is little reason to suppose he will not do so again.

The AHRC thus urges President Yudoyono to take the necessary steps ensuring that the TPF are given all the cooperation and authority required in effectively and promptly completing their inquiries into Munir’s death. Furthermore, the police must be more proactive and impartial in conducting their investigations and apprehending the perpetrators.

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