[Indonesia Report] Death of human rights activist 8-year ago still remains unresolved

Picture of Indonesian Human Rights Activist, Munir Thalib with words in Bahasa Indonesia saying "Refuse to Forget!" (Photo:www.dediparianto.blogspot.kr)

After 8 years of the death of Indonesian prominent Human Rights Activist, the probe of the case has not been completed and the mystery behind the murder remain.

Metrotvnews.com published an article on a remembrance of the activist’s fights and his mysterious death.

According to the article, law enforcers have sentenced number of those related to the killing of Indonesian human rights activists (HAM), Munir.

However, Munir’s death is still floating. Human rights activists demand the Indonesian government conduct thorough investigation on the case.

Munir was born in Malang on December 8, 1965. He became known as a staunch and persistence human rights activist.

Munir found a NGO called Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) in 16 April 1996.

Munir was poisoned when he was traveling from Jakarta to Amsterdam, Netherlands, on Sept. 7, 2004. He died in Garuda Airline’s plane and arsenic was found in his body.

A number of people have been believed to be related to the case. They include Garuda’s pilot, Pollycarpus, a former Garuda president director, Indra Setiawan, Chief Pilot of Garuda, Rohainil Aini, and former Deputy of National Intelligence Agency, V Muchdi PR. But only two of them are currently serving a prison sentence.

Speculation says that Munir was murdered because of his vocal criticism on handling a number of human rights violation cases such as 24 student activists’ case who disappeared in 1997-1998. Munir also handled cases of civilian murder in Tanjung Priok, Jakarta, in 1998. He also fought for the cases of Semanggi I and I Tragedy in 1998 which took place during the riots demanding for President Soeharto’s resignation, according to Metrotvnews.com’s report.

Meidyana Rayana Intern Reporter news@theasian.asia