Indonesia creates independent group to investigate Malaing stadium tragedy

JAKARTA, Oct. 3 (DPA/EP) –

Indonesia has created an independent group on Monday to investigate the stampede at the Malaing football stadium that has left 125 dead this weekend in one of the world’s worst sports disasters.

The joint investigation team will be made up of government officials, the football federation, academic experts and journalists, Security Minister Mohammad Mahfud announced.

“The team is expected to finish its work in two or three weeks,” said Mahfud after a meeting of the competent authorities whose central theme was the tragedy.

The minister has also reiterated the Government’s order to the National Police to investigate the persons considered responsible for the incident and to evaluate the security measures.

Likewise, human rights activists have requested that an exhaustive investigation be carried out.

Police commanders and other officers must be held accountable for their decision to fire “significant and excessive amounts of tear gas, which apparently caused suffocation, and which made the crowd run towards the exits, where many were trampled to death,” the report denounced. Human Rights Watch deputy director for Asia, Phil Robertson.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced after the incident that the country’s top division league competition would be suspended.