Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Padang Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Padang) in West Sumatera, Indonesia that Mr Kamzul Abrar, coordinator of the Forum Peduli Nurani Rakyat Sulit Air (Forum of Sulit Air Care Society) was kidnapped by unknown persons at the Solok market, Sulit Air district, Solok, West Sumatera province, Indonesia on 2 June 2006. After being detained and harassed for several days, he was released on the morning of June 7. His kidnappers have warned him to leave the district of Sulit Air, otherwise his family would be killed.
Kamzul Abrar was kidnapped after his organisation made reports on allegations of corruption in the local government administration by Mr Firdaus, the Wali Nagari (local village head) of Sulit Air to the district attorney of Solok on 24 December 2005. In response to the demands of Sulit Air residents, on May 13 2006 the group held a public meeting, and issued a joint statement refusing the leadership of Wali Nagari Firdaus. The statement further urged the district attorney to follow up on the December report. Two staff, Hendra and Rasmaidi, delivered this statement to the district attorney on May 16.
On May 19, a team from the district attorney’s office came to Sulit Air to begin preliminary investigations into the allegations of corruption committed by Firdaus.
In the meantime, Firdaus attempted to implicate Kamzul in a false sexual harassment case. He asked the complainant, a person called Nel, to file a complaint of sexual harassment against Kamzul with the Sector Police of Tanjung Balit. Initial investigations found no evidence to support such a charge however, and the police dismissed the complaint. The Karapatan Adat Nagari of Sulit Air (equivalent to local village elders’ council) also found no basis for such a complaint against Kamzul. Nel then revoked her complaint. However, from May 19 until June 2, Firdaus continued to ask the police to follow up the complaint.
Furthermore, mobile text messages (SMS) were also being sent around, threatening Kamzul and others who reported corruption to the district attorney.
On June 1, Nel reportedly told Ms Upik, one of Kamzul’s family members, that Firdaus had said to her that he did not like Kamzul because he is brave, and would kill him.
Kamzul was kidnapped the next day, (June 2), while he was out with his sister Dian. They had gone to the Solok Market to buy stationery, and later separated. On his way back alone, as he was waiting for the bus, two persons drove up in a car, and pushed Kamzul into the vehicle. As he was blindfolded, Kamzul was unable to see where they were going, but from the journey he thought it might have been the district of Singkarak, also in West Sumatera.
That afternoon, staff of Forum Peduli Nurani Rakyat Sulit Air made a complaint regarding Kamzul’s kidnapping to the Resort Police Solo. The investigation has been started and the victim and other witnesses were questioned. But there were no transparency in the investigation and the victim has not given any information regarding the follow-up of the investigation.
According to Kamzul, he was detained in one room and constantly intimidated. The kidnappers told him to leave Sulit Air if he did not want harm to come to his family. They released him on the morning of June 7, leaving him in Guguak district, West Sumatera. They again warned him that his family would be killed if he did not leave Sulit Air.
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SAMPLE LETTER
Dear _________,
INDONESIA: Threats and kidnapping of a human rights defender in West Sumatra
Name of the victim: Mr Kamzul Abrar, coordinator of the Forum Peduli Nurani Rakyat Sulit Air (Forum of Sulit Air Care Society), residing in Sulit Air district, Solok, West Sumatra province, Indonesia
Alleged perpetrators: Two unidentified men who are alleged to be backed by Mr Firdaus, the Wali Nagari (local village head) of Sulit Air
Date of incident: Kidnapped on 2 June 2006 and released on June 7
Place of incident: Kidnapped at the Solok market, Sulit Air district, Solok, West Sumatra province, Indonesia
I am deeply concerned by the abduction of Mr Kamzul Abrar, coordinator of the Forum Peduli Nurani Rakyat Sulit Air (Forum of Sulit Air Care Society) followed by constant threats on him.
According to the information I have received, Kamzul Abrar was kidnapped on 2 June 2006 after his organisation reported on allegations of corruption in the local government administration by Mr Firdaus, the Wali Nagari (local village head) of Sulit Air to the district attorney of Solok on 24 December 2005. In response to the report by Kamzul Abrar’s organization, on May 19, a team from the district attorney’s office came to Sulit Air to begin preliminary investigations into the allegations of corruption committed by Mr. Firdaus.
Meanwhile, Firdaus allegedly attempted to implicate Kamzul in a false sexual harassment case. A Ms. Nel was reportedly asked by Mr. Firdaus to file the complaint of sexual harassment against Kamzul with the Sector Police of Tanjung Balit. Even though the complaint was dismissed by the police due to lack of evidence and Ms. Nel revoked her complaint, Mr. Firdaus allegedly continued to ask the police to follow up the complaint from May 19 until June 2. Beside this, Kamzul and others who reported alleged corruption of Mr. Firdaus to the district attorney began to receive threat mobile text messages (SMS) to their mobile phones.
On June 1, Nel reportedly told Ms Upik, one of Kamzul’s family members, that Mr. Firdaus had said to her that he did not like Kamzul and would kill him. Kamzul was kidnapped the next day, on June 2 at the Solok market, Sulit Air district, Solok, West Sumatra province, Indonesia. When he was waiting for the bus, two persons drove up in a car, and pushed Kamzul into the vehicle. As he was blindfolded, Kamzul was unable to see where they were going, but from the journey he thought it might have been the district of Singkarak, also in West Sumatera. According to Kamzul, he was detained in one room and constantly intimidated. The kidnappers told him to leave Sulit Air if he did not want harm to come to his family. They released him on the morning of June 7, leaving him in Guguak district, West Sumatera. They again warned him that his family would be killed if he did not leave Sulit Air.
I was also informed that the Forum Peduli Nurani Rakyat Sulit Air, where Kamzul works, made a complaint regarding Kamzul’s kidnapping to the Resort Police Solo on June 2. However, I was informed that even though the investigation has been started and the victim and other witnesses were questioned, the victim has not given any information regarding the follow-up of the investigation so far. The victim believes that there was no transparency in the investigation.
In the circumstances, I strongly urge you to order a proper and thorough investigation into an abduction of the victim and bring those responsible before the court as soon as possible. The connection between the victim’s abduction and the allegation of the corruption of Mr. Firdaus should be inquired thoroughly. I also urge you to conduct a thorough investigation into the alleged fabrication of charges against the victim by Mr. Firdaus. If the alleged perpetrator is found regarding this matter, he should be arrested and prosecuted according to law. I further urge you to ensure that effective protection is provided to the victim and others who receive threats. The victim should also be keep being informed about the follow-up of the investigation regarding his abduction case.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Gen. Sutanto
Chief of National Police
Jl. Trunojoyo No. 3
Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA
Tel.: +62-21-721 8012
Fax: +62-21-720 727
2. Head of the West Sumatera Provincial Police
Sumatera Barat
Jl. Jend. Sudirman
Padang West Sumatera
INDONESIA
Tel. +62-751 315589
Fax. +62-751 33416
3. Chief of Resort Police of Solok
Jl. KS Tubun Solok
West Sumatera
INDONESIA
Tel: +62-755-20012, 21110
Fax. +62-755-20713
4. Mr. Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara
Chairperson
KOMNAS HAM [National Human Rights Commission of Indonesia]
Jl. Latuharhary No. 4B Menteng
Jakarta Pusat 10310
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 3925230
Fax: +62 21 3151042/3925227
E-mail: info@komnasham.or.id
5. Samsudin
The Commissioner of Rights to Life
KOMNAS HAM [National Human Rights Commission of Indonesia]
Jl. Latuharhary No. 4B Menteng
Jakarta Pusat 10310
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 3925230
Fax: +62 21 3151042/3925227
E-mail: info@komnasham.or.id
6. Enny Soeprapto
The Commissioner of Rights to Safety Life
KOMNAS HAM [National Human Rights Commission of Indonesia]
Jl. Latuharhary No. 4B Menteng
Jakarta Pusat 10310
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 3925230
Fax: +62 21 3151042/3925227
E-mail: info@komnasham.or.id
7. Ms. Hina Jilani
Special Representative of the Secretary General for human rights defenders
Att: Chloe Marnay-Baszanger
Room 1-040
C/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: ++41 22 917 9293
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTN: SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS)
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
