H.E. Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie
President of the Republic of Indonesia
Office of the President
Jakarta, Indonesia
Vienna, 10 August 1999
Your Excellency,
The International Press Institute (IPI) strongly condemns the brutal murder of a journalist working for the daily Medan Pos, which is published in North Sumatra.
We are informed that Supriadi, 34, was abducted from his home in Aceh province on 3 August 1999 by two unidentified men riding motorcycles. On 5 August, his body was found at the site of an irrigation project in the town of Bukit Hagu, in North Aceh. He had been shot in the chest and his throat had been cut, with his head almost severed from his body.
Supriadi had been recently investigating corruption activities involving an agricultural project for small farmers. He also reported on issues concerning education and development in Aceh, on the north-west tip of Sumatra, where a separatist rebellion has intensified in recent months.
IPI, the global network of editors and media executives, fears that Supriadi may have been killed as a direct result of his work as a journalist. We therefore urge Your Excellency to ensure an immediate and thorough investigation into his killing and that those responsible for this heinous crime are brought to justice. We further urge that you disclose any findings with regard to this case.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Johann P. Fritz
Director