Sunariah, Jakarta – Two members of the Fact Finding Team (TPF), Rachland Nasidik and Usman Hamid say they regret the actions of the former chief of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN), Hendropriyono, who has lodged a complaint against the team with the police on the grounds that they have besmirched his good name.

“The erroneous issue of [his] place of residency, in the United States, actually could have been resolved directly by explaining it to the chairperson of the TPF, [he] could have used the phone [and told us] that he is in Jakarta, not by measures which demonstrate a kind of excessive fear”, said Nasidik who was accompanied by Hamid at a press conference today, Monday May 30, at the Jakarta offices of Human Rights Watch (Imparsial).

According to Nasidik, if Hendropriyono is worried about the reporting in the media which gave the imprecision he is avoiding the TPF’s summonses, the most effective way to get rid of this impression is to respond to the TPF’s summonses in the future. “I think that it will immediately get rid of the impression which Mr. Hendro believes is damaging”, said Nasidik.

Nasidik reminded reporters that so far the TPF has not formally summoned Hendropriyono but plan to do so next week. “Monday or Tuesday, today’s letter will be sent by the TPF’s chairperson”, said Hamid. Hamid revealed that Hendropriyono’s summons is linked with his duties as the chief on BIN when Munir was murdered. “It is difficult for the TPF not to request information from Mr. Hendropriyono to assist in solving the case of Munir’s murder because at the time he held the post of BIN chief”, said Hamid.

According to Nasidik, after having lodged a complaint with police Hendropriyono has no grounds for failing to answer the TPF’s summons. “If Hendro’s complaint goes ahead, it will only damage Hendro himself, because the public will think the aim of the complain is to avoid or delay the investigation being conducted by the TPF which will finish its job on June 23”, said Nasidik.

Nasidik said that the TPF is not in the slightest bit disturbed by Hendropriyono’s complaint. “Whatever happens after the complaint, the TPF’s [work] will not be disrupted. I myself don’t really know exactly where the besmirched of his name occurred”, said Nasidik. But he continued, it is important for all parties to respond to the TPF’s summonses although the TPF will not forces them to provide information during questioning.

[Translated by James Balowski.]