Ramadhian Fadillah P, Jakarta – The former deputy head of the Munir Fact Finding Team (TPF), Asmara Nababan, is calling in President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s promise to provide direct information on the case to the public.

“Up until no this has never been done. So don’t let the president flee from his responsibilities”, said Nababan at the offices of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) on Wednesday April 11.

The TPF was formed based on Presidential Decree Number 111/2004 and was disbanded on July 23, 2005. The team’s conclusions and recommendations that were handed over to the president stated that there was a conspiracy in the murder of Munir.

Also speaking at the Kontras offices, Kontras Coordinator Usman Hamid made similar remarks. He suspects that there is something amiss in the police’s investigation of the Munir case because the developments that have been announced to date have been far below the minimum standards expected from an investigation and the case has dragged on for more than two years.

According to Hamid, in the past police have frequently used professional ways to announce progress in investigations, such as visual presentations, written clarifications and providing photographs and material evidence. “But in the Munir case, the national police have not done this”, said the Master of Law from the Trisakti University.

Up until now, only one person has been tried in relation to the Munir case, Garuda pilot Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto. He was sentenced to 14 months jail but this was quashed by the Supreme Court who said it had not been proven that he had poisoned Munir resulting in his death. Pollycarpus was only charged and convicted over the falsification of documents. (nik/nrl)

[Translated by James Balowski.]