The Age, November 2, 2006
Indonesia rejects UN bid to probe murder
Mark Forbes, Jakarta
INDONESIA has rebuffed moves for a United Nations special investigation into events
surrounding the murder of human rights activist Munir Thalib.
National police chief General Sutanto has claimed that UN involvement would amount
to foreign interference and undermine Indonesia's sovereignty.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Desra Percaya yesterday supported the stance and said
Indonesia would refuse to invite UN special rapporteur Philip Alston to do any
investigation.
"It's just a nonsense for the UN rapporteur to participate in the investigation because
the judicial process is not exhausted yet," he said.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has come under intense criticism for not
fulfilling a promise to bring to justice those behind the arsenic poisoning of Mr Munir
on a Garuda flight to Amsterdam in 2004.
Mr Munir was the leading campaigner against human rights abuses by the military
and intelligence agencies.
The police investigation of the murder has stalled, despite a special inquiry that Dr
Yudhoyono formed implicating the State Intelligence Agency.
Several phone calls between the one man arrested in the case, Garuda pilot
Pollycarpus Priyanto, and the deputy chief of the intelligence agency in the days
surrounding the murder were uncovered. Police did not pursue the phone calls.
Pollycarpus was sentenced to 14 years' jail last year, but Indonesia's Supreme Court
last month overturned the conviction.
Pollycarpus, allegedly an intelligence agent, claimed more senior figures were behind
the murder.
Mr Munir's widow, Suciwati, visited the US last month and met Mr Alston, who
reportedly said he would write to Dr Yudhoyono asking for permission to do a new
investigation.
Mr Percaya said Mr Alston could investigate only after a request from the Indonesian
Government and this would definitely not happen.
Copyright © 2006. The Age Company Ltd.
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