The incident between the police and the FPI took place after two cars used by the FPI blocked efforts of the Metro Jaya Regional Police (Polda) to tail FPI leader Rizieq Shihab.
By
Kompas Team
·4 minutes read
Kompas/Heru Sri Kumoro
Members of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Choirul Anam (left) and Beka Ulung Hapsara (right) chatting with Komnas HAM employees before starting to announce the results of the investigation into the deaths of six FPI troops on the Jakarta-Merak Toll Road at the Komnas HAM Office, Jakarta, on Thursday (8/1/2021).
The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has recommended that the altercation between the police and members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) in early December 2020 at Kilometer 50 of the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road be settled through a legal process. The process is expected to be accountable, objective and transparent in accordance with human rights standards.
To follow up on this recommendation, National Police chief Gen. Idham Azis has instructed the formation of a special team. The National Police assured that the team would work professionally and remain transparent in investigating the police officers who were involved.
Six members of the FPI died in the clash. Choirul Anam, the commission member leading the investigation, said at a press conference on Friday (8/1/2021) that the deaths of four of the six FPI victims occurred due to carelessness on the police’s part. “There are indications of unlawful killing, which is a form of human rights violation,” said Choirul.
Komnas HAM also asked for an investigation into the possession of firearms allegedly used by the FPI in the clash.
Komnas HAM also recommended that the law be enforced against the FPI members in the two cars that slowed down and waited for the police car. Komnas HAM also asked for an investigation into the possession of firearms allegedly used by the FPI in the clash.
Death toll
The investigation by Komnas HAM suggests that four FPI members killed in the incident were still alive when they were put into the car by the police. According to a number of witnesses, they were not handcuffed. Meanwhile, according to information obtained by Komnas HAM from the police, the four men resisted and endangered the safety of the officers, so firm action was taken.
As for the other two FPI members who were killed, Choirul said they had died when the police and FPI members exchanged fire. This occurred during a car chase between the FPI and the police, from Jl. International West Karawang to Kilometer 49 of the Cikampek toll road.
Kompas/Heru Sri Kumoro
The family members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) who were shot by the police gave a press statement after meeting with the Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission in Jakarta, Monday (21/12/2020).
The incident between the police and the FPI took place after two cars used by the FPI blocked efforts of the Metro Jaya Regional Police (Polda) to tail FPI leader Rizieq Shihab. Police had been following Rizieq as part of an investigation into health protocol violations.
“From studying the CCTV footage and voice [recordings] in the early minutes, there was no sign of hostility, even though Rizieq’s group knew that they were being followed by police officers. In the voice recording, we heard there was an instruction for the police car to keep close [but] avoid getting ahead of Rizieq’s car,” said Komnas HAM member Beka Ulung Hapsara.
Then, when they arrived at the East Karawang toll road, Rizieq’s group, who were travelling in a total of nine cars, had lost the police. However, two of the nine cars of the FPI slowed down and waited for the police car.
“There was actually an opportunity for the FPI to leave the police [behind], but they chose to wait,” said Choirul. If the FPI had not waited, the following incident – namely the death of the six FPI members – would not have occurred.
FPI members are suspected to have attacked officers with homemade weapons.
There was a shootout between FPI members and the police, Choirul continued, confirmed by shards of glass, projectiles and bullet casings. FPI members are suspected to have attacked officers with homemade weapons. Although the FPI did not recognize the possession of these firearms, the findings of shells and projectiles at the location matched the revolver-type weapons confiscated by the police from FPI members.
However, these findings still need to be followed up. House of Representatives Commission III member Arsul Sani from the United Development Party (PPP) said House Commission III would ask the Police Criminal Investigation Unit (Bareskrim) and the police’s internal supervisory agency to use the results of the investigation as material for further legal proceedings.
Police chief’s response
National Police chief Gen. Idham Azis has instructed the formation of a special team to follow up on the investigation.
“The National Police chief responded by ordering the formation of a team to follow up on the findings of Komnas HAM,” said Insp. Gen. Argo Yuwono, head of the National Police’s human rights division.
The special team consists of personnel from Bareskrim, the National Police’s legal division as well as the internal affairs division (Propam). “Of course, this special team will work optimally, professionally and openly in investigating the individual police officers related to the case,” said Argo.
