KUALA LUMPUR – Family members of Indonesia’s pro-democracy activists are demanding that presumptive president Prabowo Subianto be tried for his role in the kidnapping, disappearance and murder of more than a dozen people.
They are also urging Prabowo to answer for the human rights violations and admit his wrongdoings.
Yesterday, more than 100 demonstrators gathered at the National Monument in the capital, holding up placards, blowing whistles and holding a banner reading “save democracy”.
For nearly 20 years, the families gathered every Thursday at the State Palace in Jakarta for a silent protest to demand justice for their kin who were either abducted, murdered or disappeared in the 1990s – when Prabowo was a special forces general.
So far, they have sent the government more than 400 letters and gathered over 800 times.
Over the years, Prabowo has denied ordering the abduction of at least 13 pro-democracy activists towards the end of Suharto’s three-decade rule. Meanwhile, nine others kidnapped in 1998 were eventually released.
Prabowo, who was never charged, was banned from entering the United States due to the allegations. But the ban was lifted when he was appointed defence minister in 2019.
Among those who gathered for a protest yesterday was 77-year-old Paian Siahaan, whose 22-year-old son Ucok disappeared after a protest held in the last months of Suharto’s rule.
“This is beyond our prediction after following the campaigns and debates. We didn’t anticipate that he would win by such a wide margin. Will the case just disappear just because he’s president?”
“So we are consoling each other in the group,” he was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Maria Catarina Sumarsih, 71, is seeking justice for her son Wawan, who was shot by the military during the bloody crackdown on protesters in 1998.
“If Prabowo is genuinely committed to serving the nation, he should surrender himself… so that the attorney-general can follow up on the investigation files of the 1998 tragedies.”
Final results are expected next month but the official count has Prabowo leading the pack comfortably.
On February 14, he claimed victory at the Istora Sports Stadium in Jakarta. Prabowo, with running-mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka, promised to be a president for all Indonesians.
Quick counts by different survey agencies placed Prabowo and Gibran with over 58% of votes cast.
Their closest rivals are former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan and senior politician Muhaimin Iskandar, whom survey agencies placed with over 24% of votes.
Trailing in third and last place are former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo and his running mate, law and security minister Mahfud MD.
Prabowo, 72, is competing for the third time for the post of president. He lost in 2014 and 2019 to Joko Widodo.
Also controversially, Prabowo’s running mate, Gibran, is Jokowi’s eldest son, who was allowed to run for vice-president at the age of 36, despite not meeting the age limit of 40.
More than 200 million people were eligible to participate in this election, which was also held for lawmakers at the parliamentary, provincial, city and regency levels. – February 16, 2024
