Munir’s family wants principle actors behind murder
arrested

Malang — Munir’s family, who live in the East Java
city of Malang, have expressed their appreciation to
the government for the progress made in the
investigation of the murder of the human rights
activists. It is hoped that the uncovering of a new
suspect in the case — Muchdi Purwo Prandjono —
will be able to bring all of the central actors in
the murder before the courts.

“We commend the developments in the investigation
with the arrest of Muchdi PR. At least things are
heading along the right track. Only Muchdi is not
alone. His was only a secondary person at the State
Intelligence Agency (BIN). There is undoubtedly a
first, a third person and so on. We hope that the
government can finalise this case, so that the law
will become the ‘supreme commander’ in this
country”, said Munir’s older brother Rasyid Said
Thalib on Friday June 20 in Malang.

According to Rasyid, Munir’s family already knew
that Prandjono would be dragged into the case around
10 days beforehand. Because at the time all of the
indications and developments in the investigation
were heading in the direction of the former BIN
deputy. “Although we commend the government’s steps
in not being hasty about the arrest. So that in the
end the arrest will not end up being in vain”, said
Rasyid.

For Rasyid, the naming of Prandjono as a suspect
should not just be seen in terms of being
satisfactory or unsatisfactory. The problem is a
wider one — the issue of law enforcement.
“Hopefully this can become a test case that the
government’s pledge to uphold the law can actually
be carried out. It is hoped that later on the public
will be able to know what the true motive for the
murder was. Was there was a political element or
not?”, said Rasyid.

Military observer Muhadjir Effendy from the Malang
Muhammadiyah University said that with the arrest of
Prandjono BIN’s credibility is on the line. He is
not too convinced however that Prandjono’s arrest
will lead to a quick resolution of the case.

“Up until now those arrested have only been Munir’s
murderers. What about in terms of Munir himself. Why
was he murdered and so forth. That has yet to be
revealed. Whereas this could be the key to speeding
up the resolution of this case”, said Effendy.

In addition to this, according to Effendy, up until
now Indonesia has yet to take an explicit line on
the Indonesian military’s (TNI) authority in terms
of its basic military duties while on the other hand
it is sometimes seen as a civil violation.

Many of the cases involving the TNI exist within
grey areas. Including actions that on the one hand
represent its basic duties, and on the other hand
are seen as violations of civil law. “This is what
sometimes becomes quite a complex problem”, said
Effendy.

Suciwati concerned about integrity of other law
enforcement agencies

Jakarta — With the naming of former National
Intelligence Agency (BIN) deputy Muchdi Purwo
Prandjono as a suspect in the Munir murder case, it
is appropriate that police be commended. Munir’s
widow Suciwati however admits to being worried about
the continuation of the case, particularly in
relation to the integrity of other law enforcement
agencies such as the Attorney General’s Office and
the courts.

“Will there still be a commitment because the
police’s hard work must also be accompanied by a
quality prosecutor and judge that can compliment it.
Don’t let it turn out like Pollycarpus [Budihari
Priyanto] that had to drag on for so long whereas
the fact already existed”, said Suciwati at a press
conference at the offices of the Commission for
Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) in
Jakarta on Friday June 20.

Suciwati revealed that the naming of Prandjono as a
suspect represents a long wait after Munir’s death
four years ago and repeated rejections of
recommendations [that he be investigated].

Solidarity Action Committee for Munir (KASUM)
chairperson Usman Hamid said that there is no need
to form a new Fact Finding Team (TPF). “The most
important thing is monitoring from other
institutions”, said Hamid.

Former TPF member Hendardi meanwhile said that
police have a duty to find out whether Prandjono’s
involvement also indicates the involvement of BIN as
an institution in the premeditated murder or whether
Prandjono is simply involved as an individual
because he once saw Munir as a figure that was vocal
on human rights issues.

KASUM calls on police to question former BIN chief
Hendropriyono

Jakarta — The naming of former National
Intelligence Agency (BIN) deputy Muchdi Purwo
Prandjono as a new suspect by police in the murder
of human rights activist Munir should be commended.
The Solidarity Action Committee for Munir (KASUM)
however believes that this is not the end of the
case, but rather the start of a process to resolve
the Munir case and uncover the hidden conspiracy
behind the premeditated murder.

It is because of this therefore, that KASUM
chairperson Usman Hamid is also asking police to
question former BIN chief retired General A.M.
Hendropriyono. “By tracing the role of other people
who have yet to be revealed, we are asking police to
question Hendropriyono to reveal who planned Munir’s
murder”, said Hamid at the office of the Commission
for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence
(Kontras) in Jakarta on Friday June 20.

Meanwhile an activist from KASUM’s legal division,
Choirul Anam, said that according to the records of
the Munir Fact Finding Team (TPF), based on all of
the documents and new evidence that emerged during
the trial of Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto,
Prandjono’s was not the sole individual in planning
the murder. “When Polly[carpus] was tried in court
it showed that he [Prandjono] was not the sole
planner. There are still others [at large]”, said
Anam.

KASUM hopes that the police will be able to work
optimally and discover the other powerful figures
who were involved in the premeditated murder of
Munir.