Community Leader Calls for Independent Team to Investigate Cebongan Case

Yogyakarta (Antara) - A Yogyakarta student community asked for the formation of independent team to be involved in the investigation and fact finding of Cebongan Penitentiary attack incident, occurred on Saturday (March 23). "The establishment of the independent team is expected to reveal the shooting incident conducted by an armed group," Head of Yogyakarta Muhammadiyah Students Community (IPM) Mohammad Abduh Zulfikar said here, Tuesday. The community also urged the National Commission on Human Rights to investigate as there was an indication of human rights violation in the incident. "We also asked the administration of Yogyakarta to guarantee the security for students, from all around the regions, who are studying in Yogyakarta," Zulfikar said. The shooting incident by an armed group that murdered four detainees in the Class II-B penitentiary was an insult to the nation, Zulfikar said. "The four detainees were under Yogyakarta Police custody. The incident showed the poor performance of the law enforcement officers to guarantee the security and the safety of the citizens," Zulfikar said. The Yogyakarta Muhammadiyah Students Community condemned the attack as it was a cruel and violating humanity values as well as depriving the security and safety for citizens, especially students in Yogyakarta. Zulfikar said, Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY) as a melting pot of Indonesia's diversity should show its identity as a region has high concern of its citizen's security and safety. Previously, around 17 armed men raided a penitentiary in Cebongan in the district of Sleman, Yogyakarta, early on Saturday and killed four detainees and wounded several wardens. The incident occurred following a clash in Hugo's Cafe in the district days before that led to the death of a member of army special force Kopassus. In connection with the incident chief security minister Djoko Suyanto has ordered Commander of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI), Admiral Agus Suhartono and National Police chief General Timur Pradopo to immediately investigate the incident. The chief of the Yogyakarta regional police command, Brigadier General Sabar Rahardjo, said the four killed were "those involved in the clash in Hugo's Cafe several days ago." The chief of the Central Java Military Command, Major General Hardiono Saroso, meanwhile denied that TNI members were involved in the incident. (*)