Family of executed man demand new autopsy
Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang, 28 Sept 2006

The family and lawyers of Dominggus da Silva have presented a letter to police requesting his body be exhumed and an autopsy performed to determine whether he was tortured before being executed last Friday.
The family of da Silva, who was executed along with Fabinaus Tibo and Marinus Riwu for inciting violence against Muslims in Poso, Central Sulawesi in 2000, wants the body exhumed for a second time to check for evidence of torture.
Da Silva was originally buried in Palu, Central Sulawesi, where the three men were executed, after an autopsy was performed by local officials. His body was then exhumed on the order of his lawyers and church members. A wake was held at the local Catholic church and the body was sent back to da Silva's hometown of Maumere, the capital city of Sikka regency, West Nusa Tenggara, for burial.
A lawyer who represented all three executed men, Roy Rening, said by phone Wednesday that police in Sikka has been officially notified of the plan to exhume da Silva's body for a second time.
"We've informed (the police) that the family will exhume the body of Dominggus and an autopsy will be performed this week," he said.
He said the results of this second autopsy would be included with the results of autopsies performed on the two other executed men, which he said would be sent to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
"Similar reports will also be delivered to the UN High Commission on Human Rights, the European Union, international institutions and the National Commission on Human Rights," he said.
However, the International Court of Justice does not accept reports and complaints from individuals. It only considers legal disputes submitted by states.
The National Police denied Tuesday that da Silva was tortured before being executed last week.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Paulus Purwoko said claims of torture by the family were made based on incorrect information from people claiming to have seen the body. "The execution was conducted in line with technical instructions from National Police Headquarters," Purwoko said as quoted by Detik.com news agency.
There have been claims that four bullet wounds were found on the left side of Tibo's chest, another on the right side, in addition to three scars on his forehead and 15 stab wounds to his back. Also, four bullet wounds were said to be found on Marinus Riwu's chest, another on his chin and two on his back.
"Meanwhile, based on information gathered by (da Silva's) family, there were four bullet wounds to his chest and bruising to his face. But all the facts will be gathered after the family orders a second autopsy," Roy said.
Da Silva's adoptive father Anselmus da Silva said the marks on his son's body convinced the family to order a second autopsy. He hoped the results of the autopsy would back the family's claims of torture at an international court.