Munir Fact Finding Team’s mandate may be extended: Silalahi

Source
Tempo Interactive – June 8, 2005
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Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi (Rima News)
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Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi (Rima News)
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Sunariah, Jakarta – Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi has said that the time limit for the Fact Finding Team (TPF) investigation into the death of human rights activist Munir will be extended if by June 23 they have not finished their job and uncovered the perpetrator of Munir’s murder.

“Yeah we will extending it if they run out of time, there’s no need to worry. After all it’s already been extended once, if it’s not enough we will extend it again until the TPF’s job is finished”, said Silalahi in answer to questions by journalists following a cabinet meeting last night.

Silalahi explained that any person can be questioned by the TPF including the former director of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN), A.M. Hendropriyono. “No one is immune from the law in this country. Feel free to question [them], if there is a problem report it to me”, he asserted in response to Hendropriyono’s refusal to be questioned by the TPF. He also revealed that the president is receiving periodic reports on developments in the TPF’s work.

The current director of BIN, Syamsir Siregar meanwhile, explained that in organisational terms Hendropriyono is no longer a member of BIN. With regard to Hendropriyono’s attitude, Siregar suspects that it may perhaps be because of a communication problem between Hendropriyono and the TPF.

Siregar said that he would communicate this to Hendropriyono if they meet but up until now (since Hendropriyono was summoned by the TPF) he has not seen him. When asked about Hendropriyono’s attitude he answered “Yeah like the comments in the newspapers”.

[Translated by James Balowski.]

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