Munir is an Indonesian human rights and anti-corruption activist who was assassinated in September of 2004 when travelling overseas to pursue doctorate studies in law. Munir was poisoned with arsenic when on a Garuda flight. In December President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono set up a presidential commission to probe the death, as Badan Intelijen Negara (BIN) involvement was widely suspected. By March of 2005, Indonesia police arrested Garuda pilot, Pollycarpus Budihari Priyatno and more recently, the commission has uncovered proof directly linking BIN to the murder suspect.

Badan Intelijen Negara (BIN)

Badan Intelijen Negara roughly translates to state intelligence agency, with the nearest Australian equivalent being ASIO. The Suharto regime mixed civil and military power into one. The Indonesian military and intelligence services were used for civil control. Since Indonesia over-threw Suharto in 1999, the country has been working hard to introduce reforms which remove this mix of civil and military - as too often the military and intelligence believe in their own impunity, as if they are above the law.

The killing of Munir, is within the vigilante tradition of the intelligence services and military of ensuring civil control through violence. President Yudhoyono's commission into this death, can be viewed as breaking BIN, so that it comes under the civil control of government, and adheres to the rule of law. This is part of the on-going battle against the corrupt and polluted remnants of Suharto's regime.

The former head of BIN has impeded the commission, the Jakarta Post reports ;

With just two weeks left of its mandate, a government-sanctioned fact-finding team remains unable to speak with former National Intelligence Body (BIN) chief A.M. Hendropriyono over possible links between the body and the poisoning death of rights activist Munir last September.

Hendropriyono was not alone in no co-operating, other BIN officials refused as well;

Several other former and current BIN officials have refused to respond to summons from the team for questioning, despite the protocol agreement signed by the team and current BIN chief Syamsir Siregar, which should allow the team to summon officials and access important documents.

Yudhoyono responded by extending the commission to June 23rd and encouraged BIN to co-operate. Munir was poisoned on a Garuda flight, and the airline, unlike BIN was quick to co-operate .

BIN Involvement in Munir's Murder

The Washington Post reports that the commission has uncovered evidence which links the suspects of the murder to the deputy director of BIN, Muchdi Purwopranjono.

Police Brig. Gen. Marsudhi Hanafi, who heads the commission, said last week that investigators had obtained a document detailing plans at Indonesia's State Intelligence Agency (BIN) to kill Munir and uncovered telephone records showing calls between numbers of a suspect in the murder and an official at the agency.

Muchdi Purwopranjono has stated in previous interviews that he did not know the suspect in the case, however Pollycarpus' cell phone contained an untraceable number. This was the office of the deputy director. In addition the commission has a document which describes the poisoning as one of four plots by BIN to kill Munir. The evidence and results of the commission will be turned over to prosecutors once the commission is finished.

Civil Control of Government

This commission is the on-going eradication of military and intelligence involvement in civil order - and the atrocities that stemmed from this mixing of military and civil responsibility. Hanafi's statement points this out;

"We believe this is an abuse of power in BIN. These people used BIN's power, authority and facilities to carry out this operation."

Hanafi is clearly stating that BIN has no authority to murder any Indonesia again. No longer is the committing of violence, or atrocity by the BIN or TNI against the Indonesian people, going to be tolerated. The military no longer has a place in maintaining civil order, that is for the police now. Under Suharto, BIN was a law unto itself, now it faces the President, Parliament, People, and rule of law.

Indonesia has been making remarkable strides forward; creating a civil police force, stripping the TNI of their guaranteed parliament seats, bringing the treasury and policy back to parliament; and ultimately making government accountable to the people again.

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