A poignant 12 months has inched by for Devi Athok, an Indonesian father burdened by the agonizing lack of his two teenage daughters, tragically claimed in a crush of followers at a soccer stadium in East Java again in October 2022.
The chilling specter of that horrific day nonetheless haunts him, because it ought to for a nation that witnessed one of many world’s most harrowing sporting calamities.
The eerie echoes of that fateful day reverberate by way of the Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang metropolis, the place a frantic crowd surge unfolded after a match between Persebaya Surabaya and Arema Malang.
In a contest that noticed the previous emerge victorious with a 3-2 scoreline, chaos gripped the sector, prompting an ill-fated resolution by the police to deploy tear gasoline, even towards the stadium’s stands.
The ensuing pandemonium set off a nightmarish stampede for the exits, leaving an indelible scar on the nation.
The grim statistics are a haunting reminder: 135 souls perished, together with a heart-wrenching tally of 43 youngsters, whereas roughly 580 others have been left injured, each bodily and emotionally.
Devi Athok’s private tragedy is a poignant chapter on this painful narrative.
He had bought 4 tickets for that Saturday night time showdown – two for his daughters, one for his ex-wife and one other for her new husband.
A accident noticed his 13-year-old daughter, Naila Debi Anggraini, be part of them on the final second.
She, alongside her elder sister, 16-year-old Natasya Debi Ramadani, and their mom, Geby Asta Putri, 37, met a merciless finish within the chaotic crush.
In the 12 months since this tragedy unfolded, Indonesia has taken steps towards justice.
Five out of the six suspects charged with negligence resulting in the deaths of 135 individuals have been convicted.
Investigations, each by the police and an impartial workforce established by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, have sought to make clear the horrifying occasions of that day.
Amid these proceedings, two law enforcement officials initially acquitted by the Surabaya Court confronted a reversal of fortunes when the Supreme Court sentenced them to jail – one for 2 years and the opposite for 2 and a half years.
Additionally, the previous East Java Police cellular brigade commander acquired a sentence of 1 and a half years behind bars, whereas the soccer membership’s former safety officer was handed a one-year sentence.
Yet, amid these authorized maneuvers, some kin of the victims stay unhappy, their thirst for justice unquenched.
For Devi Athok, the battle for justice is an unwavering mission. He has been vocal about what he perceives as irregularities within the official narrative and claims to have confronted intimidation for his outspoken stance.
Athok reveals that the police’s account diverges from the impartial investigation workforce’s conclusion that tear gasoline was the reason for demise.
According to the police, it was a blunt object blow to the chest that broke the women’ ribs.
Athok vehemently disputes this model of occasions. “At the trial, police said there was a brawl between fans even though there were no Persebaya supporters at the stadium. This is a public lie. We are being fooled,” he asserted, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the faces of his daughters, with a poignant message on the back: “Rest in peace in heaven, my daughters. Your father is combating for justice for you.”
His dedication is unwavering: “I wish to battle legally, search justice for the demise of my daughters. If you ask if I’ve sincerely accepted what occurred, sure, I sincerely do. They are lifeless, they gained’t come again. But underneath the regulation, I search justice in opposition to the killer of my two daughters,” he proclaimed.
As the one-year mark of this grievous incident looms giant, Amnesty International Indonesia has issued a fervent name to motion. They implore the Indonesian authorities to conduct a complete investigation and make sure that all accountable events are dropped at justice.
Usman Hamid, the manager director of Amnesty International Indonesia, declared: “The authorized course of associated to the safety forces who fired tear gasoline has not but reached their leaders on the command stage. This is unacceptable, and the households of the victims who died and those that have been injured deserve correct justice and accountability.”
The rights group additionally advocates for an analysis of the usage of extreme pressure, together with tear gasoline, in such conditions.
The calamity in Kanjuruhan stadium serves as a haunting reminder of the perils of deploying tear gasoline in densely packed crowds.
As Indonesia started renovation work on the Kanjuruhan stadium in September, individuals from all walks of life gathered across the venue on Saturday to supply their prayers and condolences to the victims of that fateful day.
Source: www.dailysabah.com