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SBY speaks out on 'lost' Munir report
Jakarta Post - October 26, 2016
Speaking to a group of journalists at his residence in Cikeas, West Java, Yudhoyono claimed that he shared the wish of Munir's supporters to reveal the truth behind his killing.
"The murder of human rights activist Munir was a serious crime, which has tainted our democracy," Yudhoyono said, in the style of speaking he favored while he was president. "For those who think that real justice has yet to come, I want to say that doors to truth will always be there," he added.
The speech was not only an attempt to convince the public that he was serious about the matter, but also seemed to be an attempt to recall for the public the oratorical method he used during his two presidential terms.
Alongside him were several of his former ministers, regarded as close aides, who may have been familiar with the work of the fact-finding team (TPF) he formed in 2005 to probe into Munir's death.
Among these were former coordinating political, legal and security affairs minister Djoko Suyanto; former State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Syamsir Siregar; former state secretary Sudi Silalahi; and the former National Police chief Bambang Hendarso Danuri, who served as the force's criminal investigation department (Bareskrim) head when the TPF was formed. Also taking part in the press conference was then TPF head Brig. Gen. (ret.) Marsudi Hanafi.
Yudhoyono also expressed concern about what he regarded as the overtly political nature of the ongoing discussion of the case, particularly regarding the whereabouts of the TPF report, which is believed to have details of its findings on the murder.
Former state secretary Sudi said they had managed to locate copies of the TPF's report, and these would be handed over to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. "We have conducted a little research and we believe these copies are similar to the original document," he said.
Regardless of Yudhoyono's statement, activists have repeated their calls for Jokowi to open a new investigation into the murder, especially after the former president also suggested that he encouraged Jokowi to continue the necessary legal progress of the case.
Activists have also renewed demands to investigate individuals they believe to be the masterminds of the murder, including former BIN chief AM Hendropriyono. Former TPF members have said his name was mentioned as among those who were allegedly responsible for poisoning Munir with arsenic on his way to the Netherlands on a Garuda Indonesia flight in 2004.
"A new investigation is needed to pursue Hendropriyono's role in the case," Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) deputy coordinator Puri Kencana Putri said.
Puri said he was aware of the influence of the former BIN chief in Jokowi's administration and thus challenged Jokowi to uphold justice over "personal relations".
"Jokowi must not protect [Hendropriyono] just because they are friends," she said. Hendropriyono is also known to be a close friend of Megawati Soekarnoputri, former president and chairwoman of Jokowi's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). Hendropriyono has repeatedly denied any role in Munir's death.
Former Garuda pilot Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto and former Garuda president director Indra Setiawan were sentenced to 20 and 15 years' imprisonment, respectively, for their roles in Munir's murder. Another individual believed to be named in the report, former BIN deputy chief Muchdi Purwoprandjono, was also brought to trial but was later acquitted.
Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/10/26/sby-speaks-out-lost-munir-report.html.
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