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TESTIMONY OF A VICTIM OF THE ABDUCTION OF ACTIVISTS
NEZAR PATRIA

1. Introduction

I am Nezar Patria. Born in Sigli, Special Region of Aceh, on October 5, 1970. I graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy Gajah Mada University (UGM), in August 1997. When a student I was active in various students organizations, such as Jamaah Shalahuddin UGM (1990-1991), Press Bureau of the Faculty of Philosophy UGM (1992-1996), and the last was as General Secretary of Solidarity of Indonesian Students for Democracy (SMID) in 1996. My involvement in SMID was motivated by the reality of the social and political life in Indonesia which is far from the standards of a modern and democratic state. The political behaviour of the New Order which is full of oppression against human rights, and the political and economic injustice has made to take a critical stance against the dictatorial practices of the New Order. The intensive and exhausting students' discussion groups, did not succeed in changing the situation, so that at last I decided to actively take part in the actions of students' protest and in the advocation of the cases of the people whose rights have been taken away, and who were economically and politically opressed by the New Order regime.

It appears that it is the fate of all pro-democracy activists fighting against the New Order dictatorship, that they have to prepare themselves for prison, intimidation, terror and various other forms of oppression which were never imagined before. One of these is what I have experienced on March 13, 1998, two days after the General Session of the MPR 1998, which is full of deceit, on the eve of the tumultuous people's resistance which ended the episode of the New Order dictatorship.

2. Uninvited Guests on Friday Night, March 13, 1998.

I and three other of my friends (Mugiyanto, Bimo Petrus and Aan Rusdianto), live in the Klender Flat Housing. We were new inhabitants there, only about ten days. To be exact, starting on February 28, 1998. We were all members of SMID, who after the July 27, 1998 incident live as fugitives of the apparatus of the New Order dictatorship. After having failed in accusing PRD as the 'mastermind' of the July 27, 1998 incident, the dictatorship continues by faulting PRD as an illegal organization because it is not using Pancasila as its principle, but it used Peoples' Social-Democracy instead. There is not the slightest intention of PRD to be anti-Pancasila, in fact, it is giving special emphasis to the Pancasila orientation by means of the Peoples Social-Democracy. But the dictatorship persisted by imprisoning the PRD leaders, and by banning PRD and also SMID's as an organization affiliated with it. Under these conditions we, members of SMID, continued our activities, although in a very limited way. Most of our members returned to campus, and others faithfully entered the bases of the oppressed community.

March 13, 1998, at about 19.00, I just returned from Depok. I was the first to be home that night. This house is deserted during the day. We all have our full day of activities outside the house. Not only activities relating to politics, (we maintain contacts with the other students communities and the other sectors of the people in the framework of the organization), but we also carry-out activities for financial support (translations and writing articles). Ten minutes later Aan came home. We boiled water to prepare drinks. It was at this moment that we heard somebody knock on the door.

Aan opened the door. Four sturdy men, wearing woolen head covers on their heads stood before the door. Aan called me from the kitchen because he didn't know who they were. I saw one man immediately entering the house and grasping Aan's arm. I asked them who they are and what they want. The answer was a bark 'Don't ask too much, come with us!'. Aan was grasped by two men and immediately led out of the house. So was I. I tried to resist, but the one on my right immediately pulled a semi automatic gun. He wore a black jacket and jeans, wearing a head cover (something like a hat made of wool that is used by mountain climbers). The pistol was pointed at my stomach. The one on my left (I didn't have the chance to see his features), handcuffed both my hands. They led us by force down the stairs of the flat housing (our house was on the second floor). They worked very fast, in less than one minute we were placed in a waiting Jeep. I also saw another Jeep parked behind the one I was forced in to, which appeared to be also part of the group.

In the car, my eyes and Aan's were immediately covered by a piece of black cloth and our heads covered with a woolen head cover. We both were seated in the middle and flanked on each side by two men. Our hands were handcuffed to each other, my right hand to Aan's left, and our other hands handcuffed to the hands of these unknown persons. The car was air conditioned. Before my eyes were covered, I saw that two men were sitting in front, one acted as the driver and the other one was sitting next to him. The car immediately drove of at high speed. All windows were tightly shut. The music was turned on loud, so that we could not hear the traffic noises during the trip. In the Jeep one of them asked my name and my activities so far. After I told them my name and activities, one of the said 'SMID activists, we did not make a wrong arrest!' There was no other conversation after that. I thought hard, who could these people possibly be. It is clear that they were no ordinary people. They were quite professional and their manner was hard and cold. I prayed and recited the Quran. I could not surmise the direction or the route they were taking. But during the trip I noticed that the music cassette has changed sides. So it must have been about one hour. Then I felt that the car stopped at some place, and heard somebody communicate by radio. The call 'Merpati, Merpati!' could be heard. But I didn't hear the reply. It seemed that they have arrived at their destination, and were waiting for approval to enter. After waiting for about ten minutes, the car proceeded to a building. Aan and I were led out of the car with eyes still covered and hands handcuffed. My bare feet stepped on grass, and then on sandy ground and then on tiled floor. We were led into a building.

3. The Sound of Marching Boots

When entering the air conditioned room, we were separated, although we were still in the same room. I felt that there were many people in that room, surrounding me and Aan. My pants were forcefully taken off so that I was only wearing underpants and a singlet. I was seated in a folding chair, the handcuffs were opened but one of my hands was cuffed to the chair. I felt that I was facing a desk and that there was somebody on the other side of the desk who loudly asked a question, 'As the Secretary General of SMID you must surely know where Andi Arief is. Tell immediately where he is now!' I replied that I don't know exactly where Andi Arief is, because the last time I met him was in Yogyakarta about one half year ago. Upon hearing that reply they immediately hit me. 'Scroundel, liar!' said one of them. I then felt a strong blow to my jaw followed by other blows. They repeated their questions and I again replied that I don't know. Then I heard an order for bringing the electrocuting apparatus. I felt something touching my calf and thigh, and a strong electric current jolted all bones in my body. I shouted 'Allahu Akbar!' and tried to withstand the excruciating pain. The electric current attacked again and again, so that my body and the chair I was sitting on shook. I felt a strong kick against my chest so that I fell over backwards and the folding chair I was sitting on collapsed. After replacing the chair with another stronger chair, they repeated the questions again. In a condition of half consciousness I replied that Andi Arief was in Lampung. Where exactly I don't know, maybe at his parents' house.

After that I was laid down on a folding cot. Both my legs were tightly tied to the sides of the cot, and both hands handcuffed also to the sides of the cot. They asked me about the political activities which I had been doing so far, and always the current was applied, whether or not I replied. They asked me if I knew Waluyo Djati, Faisol Reza, and Herman. They also asked whether I knew Desmond and Pius. I was also asked to tell them whether I have ever met Megawati and Amien Rais. And whether PRD or SMID have ever received funds from Sofjan Wanandi. I told them that I have never met the three figures mentioned. Politically PRD is indeed supporting Amien Rais and Megawati. However, PRD or SMID have never received any money from Sofjan Wanandi, and explained that politically the interest positions of PRD and Sofjan Wanandi are at opposite sides. So, it is not possible that we will be having contacts with him, let alone receive help from him. After these questions they stopped their torture to me. Faintly I could hear Aan who was being questioned by a number of people. His position is not far from mine, and we were still in the same room. Not long thereafter it became quiet and silent. I was startled when I heard steps entering the room. Then I heard the sound of shouts of somebody in pain who was also under torture and interrogated in the same room. I knew that voice very well, as it was Mugijanto's voice.

We were then given food, rice with fish. When we were eating we were still on the folding cot in a sitting position, the left hand handcuffed and eyes covered. After the meal, the questioning was continued about my life history, and my political experiences. The whole night until dawn we were continually electrocuted and terrorized with the deafening sound of an alarm (the sound is similar to an automobile alarm). The air conditioner was turned on very high so that my nearly naked body shivered from the cold. Then somebody approached and examined my body (apparently a medical staff), and I could faintly hear his voice which forbid application of current to the stomach and chest. Then trousers were put on again to me and my friends. We couldn't sleep until morning, until there was a change of the guards. Because our eyes were covered it seems that we lost our orientation about time. The new guards repeated the same questions asked by the previous crew. The whole day we experienced torture.

I was thinking and tried to guess who they are. But it was very difficult, because they never addressed each other with their names. The room was also soundproof. But on that morning the sound of marching boots could be faintly heard. I guessed it was because the door was slightly ajar so that the sounds from outside could creep into the X room. It sounded as if a troop of soldiers were doing military calisthenics and running in unison. I could also could hear them singing rousing songs and yells with words that were not very clear.

The next day (the second day) our position was still on the folding cot and still in the same room. Early in the morning I was asked about my biodata. I was then asked to find a way to arrest Andi Arief, by asking about his character, habits, and the places frequently visited by Andi. I could not give them the answers that they require. I was again electrocuted and beaten. I was also asked about the structure of PRD after Budiman Sujatmiko, the Leader of PRD, was imprisoned. They also asked about the network of the other pro-democracy movements.

Next the interrogators asked about the present political programme of PRD. And also why PRD is supporting a referendum for the people of East Timor. I replied that the East Timor problem is becoming a boomerang which has damaged Indonesia's image in its international relations The protracted war has also caused a lot of casualties, Indonesian soldiers as well as among the people of East Timor. Referendum is a just and democratic way for East Timor to decide about their position. There was a 'discussion' here between the three of us and the interrogators. They admitted that they have been assigned for duty for quite some time in East Timor, and also in Aceh. For a few hours after the 'discussion' there was no torture.

I asked permission for going to the toilet for urinating. They removed my handcuffs, and eyes blindfolded and one hand cuffed to the hand of the guard who led me to the toilet. I walked across the air conditioned room and as soon I was outside, I again could hear the sound of marching boots. This time it was more distinct as the sound of people doing running exercises. But I didn't know what songs they sang and the words of the yells they were shouting. After breakfast we were again interrogated by a different group of interrogators. I was again tortured by electric current, beating and kicking. In fact, when they asked me to tell the exact address of Andi Arief's friends in Lampung, they positioned my cot vertically at 45 degrees. My head was down and my legs up. One of them even silenced me with the heel of his shoes, so that my lips were broken because I shouted 'Allahu Akbar' loudly when the electric current streamed into me and destroyed the joints of my bones. The interrogation took place continuously until night. Sometimes they repeated the same questions and sometimes the questions were based on data obtained from my other two friends.

The next day (March 15), I was led to the toilet by two guards, My eyes remained covered and both hands handcuffed. They opened the handcuffs and the blindfolds when we were in the toilet. I saw both guards wearing black masks made of wool. Only their eyes could be seen. I was photographed there with an automatic camera (instant). The toilet appeared clean, there was a wash basin, and a mirror. The ceramic was light blue and the floor brick red. The walls were cream coloured. After I was finished, my eyes were again covered, I was allowed to wash my face before that. I returned to the same room where I was again laid down on the bed. Then one of them said that the three of us were actually not their target, and therefore we were going to be taken to a certain place. Even so, they will keep on observing us wherever we are, and it is an easy matter for them to finish the three of us if we did anything that is not to their liking.

3. On the Way to the Metro Jaya Police

Around midday, we were taken to a certain place. Each of us was transported in a separate car I was taken to a Jimny Jeep. The trip took 1.5 hours before we finally arrived at the place. During the trip my eyes remained covered and hands were handcuffed in the rear. We were told to get out of the car and walked entering a multi-storied building. When arriving in a room the blindfolds over my eyes and the handcuffs were removed. I saw a number of functionaries in civilian dress and using handy talkies, in front of me. I was asked to sit down and given food. The room was only 2x2 m, I saw a white cardboard sign attached to the door. If I remember it right, the sign said 'Koladaops 05'. One of the functionaries then prepared an official report about me by asking questions like it was for a dossier of an examination (BAP). I was also asked to sign a letter (arrest warrant?) of which the letterhead has been erased. So that I could not know the official institution who made the official report.

Not long thereafter I was blindfolded again. It seems that other officials came to fetch us. The three of us were loaded in a Kijang car. The car took us to a certain place, and after arrival we knew that it was the Metro Jaya Police. The blindfolds and also the handcuffs were removed. Then we were taken to a room and interrogated.

After that we signed an arrest warrant with the accusation that we have committed the crime of subversion. Before we received the suspension of detention, we have been detained in isolation (1 cell for 1 person), for approximately three months. When under detention at the Metro Jaya Police we were at one time summoned by three officers of the ABRI Military Police. They asked us about the process of our arrest by the unknown people.

Jakarta, June 7, 1998 ,Nezar Patria