ACEH: Humanitarian workers and human rights activist attacked Fri, 4 Feb 2000 09:58:42 -0500 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit source - Margarita Lacabe The Human Rights Actions Network - Derechos Human Rights http://www.derechos.org/human-rights/actions/ URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION               URGENT APPEAL PROGRAMME AHRC UA Index: 000203                               3 February 2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- UA 05/00: Military violence against activist INDONESIA/ACEH: Humanitarian workers and human rights activist attacked ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Humanitarian workers and activist who are assistings victims of the on going arms conflict are often not welcome by both the armed rebels and the Indonesian military. Humanitarian workers and activist themeselves have become victims to violences, intimidation, torture and disappearances. 21 August 1999  Two humanitarian workers from BEMA LAIN in Ar-Raniery were arrested by Polsek (military police)in Julok , East Aceh. 18 November 1999  Six humanitarian workers from SEFA were arrested, stripped naked and tortured in jail at Makoramil Bakongan. 6 January 2000 Two human rights activist from Peoples' Crisis Centre [PCC] in Ie Rhoh, North Aceh, were attack in their centre by military personnels. The military also damaged and broke things in the PCC and took away all medicines from the cente. The above incidents are against the 1949 Geneva Convention which says that military personnel should protect humanitarian workers and the wounded. The situation in Aceh is continually worsening with a growing death toll and  increasing numbers of Internally Displaced persons [IDP], mostly, villagers  seeking refuge. The violence in  Aceh has escalated. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: There are 25 million Acehnese in Sumatra and 5 million are living in Aceh region where poverty is very high as the revenues collected goes to the central government in Jakarta. Aceh is rich in natural resources. Aceh is oil producing region, producing 50% of Indonesian oil, gas and timber. All most all proceeds from investments goes to the central government and the jobs are often given to people from other regions. Reports indicate that Aceh contributes about twenty per cent of the national budget, but receives less then one per cent. Thus any solution should deal with this key issue. Since the downfall of Suharto, last year, thousands of Acehnese victims who had suffered in silence the abuses by the Indonesian military have began to be more visible. The documentation of the violations by the victims,  supported by investigations from NGOs and the Indonesian Human Rights Commission revealed the serious abuses and brutalies committed by the military. The ABRI [armed forces] was forced to apologise and pull out its troops from Aceh. August 98, the he military commander-in-chief General Wiranto finally withdraw the special forces Kopassus from Aceh. The Kopassus troops were responsible for the tortures, killings, rapes and thedisappearances of thousands of Acehnese. Yet the military spread misinformation that the Aceh Merdeka Movement or GAM is a threat to the security. Anyone giving support for GAM activities would  considered  as 'terrorist', then under the anti-subversion law an offence punishable by death or long prison sentences. The army began their repressions again. The 3 February 99, Idi Cut, killings  reveal their intention not to leave Aceh. The people of Aceh raise up to the situation calling for justice on 26 March 99,  the people of Aceh called for a Referendum and the army attacekd with teargas and rubber bullets wounding more than a hundred people. A call for the withdrawal of all military forces, includes full withdrawal of the territorial army. This would mean dismantling the military commands, from the korem down to the babinsa. This spells out what ending the dwifungsi really means. Ending the armed forces dwifungsi is not just about ending the army's control of key positions in executive and legislative bodies but also reducing the role to only defending the country against external attack. The Indonesian army's territorial structure reaches down to the village,  thus the military kept a close watch on every level of society. This is effectively used in  daerah rawan or 'trouble-spots' like Aceh. Ending the dwifungsi challenges the emphasis on the security approach which lies at the root of all the repression - mass arrests, torture, unjust trials and conviction and the many massacres that occurred during Suharto's New Order. The future status of Aceh Acehnese students and other sections of civil society are now calling for a Referendum because they see it as being the most democratic way for the people of Aceh to decide on their future status as a territory. Other groups are pressing for autonomy or federation, which means the devolution of many powers to local authorities. A draft law, which has not yet been made public, deals with the critical question of the division of revenues between the centre and the regions. This is especially critical for Aceh which has seen the proceeds of its abundant natural resources gobbled up by the central government, turning the region into one of the most poverty-stricken regions in the Republic. Another striking aspect of the draft law is that power is supposed to devolve to the kabupaten and municipalities, not to the provinces. This has been described as a policy of 'divide and rule', an attempt to contain the tendency towards separatism. Nor will autonomy status grant full rights over the exploitation of natural resources which are regarded as being too strategic to be released from central government control. RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:  AHRC calls on human rights groups to pressure Indonesia to protect humanitarian workers and human rights activist in Aceh. We also request for close monitoring and assistance to prevent the abuse of the Indoensian military against the people of Aceh. This worsening situation requires international attention and pressure should be exerted by the world community to prevent the military from continuing the atrocities against the ordinary villagers and human rights activists. -------------------------- Sample Letter ---------------------------- Dear President Abdurrahman Wahid, We support your initiative to solve the Aceh issue as soon as possible. But firstly, we call on the Indonesian governemt to stop the military and police violence and to take legal action against soldiers, police and officials for violating human rights. We have been informed by reliable sources that humanitarian workers and human rights activist are attacked by military personel. We bring to your notice the following cases: 21 August 1999  Two humanitarian workers from BEMA LAIN in Ar-Raniery were arrested by Polsek (military police)in Julok , East Aceh. 18 November 1999  Six humanitarian workers from SEFA were arrested, stripped naked and tortured in jail at Makoramil Bakongan. 6 January 2000 Two human rights activist from Peoples' Crisis Centre [PCC] in Ie Rhoh, North Aceh, were attack in their centre by military personnels. The military also damaged and broke things in the PCC and took away all medicines from the cente. WE suggests that concrete actions must be taken on all reported cases of abuses, torture and disappearance as follows: (A) Action against all those who were responsible for the systematic practice of torture and disappearances Those responsible sould be brought to trial for committing a crime against humanity. (B) As Criminal investigations have not be conducted regarding most of cases on torture and disappearances. Request criminal investigations to be conducted into cases torture and disappearances. (C) To prosecute those responsible for the torture and disappaearances. (D) To remove from military and police forces all persons connected with torture and disappearances, directly or indirectly. (E) To pay adequate compensation to victims families in terms of the international norms set on torture and disappearances. (F) To take measures to help to allievate trauma caused to victims and their families. (G) To take action to stop the use of torture and disapperarances as weapons by the military and police forces. Sincerely yours, SEND LETTER TO: President Abdurrahman Wahid Presiden RI Istana Negara J1. Veteran Jakarta Pusat Indonesia Faxes: 0015 62 21 526 8726 0015 62 21 380 5511 SEND COPIES TO: Mr. Marzuki Durusman National Commission on Human Rights Sekretaris Jenderal Komisi Nasional Hak Azasi Manusia (Komnas HAM) Jl. Latuharhary No. 4B Menteng Jakarta Pusat Indonesia Telephone/Fax: (62) 21-392-5227 E-mail: info@komnas.go.id Kofi Annan Secretary General United Nations  Room S-3800 New York   NY 10017 Fax: 603-2910707 Mailto: ecu@un.org and diplomatic representatives of Indonesia accredited to your country Please remember to send a copy of your letter to: ua8@hknet.com AHRC Ugent Appeals Programme Asian Human Rights Commission Unit D, 7th Floor, Mongkok Commercial Centre, 16 - 16B Argyle Street, Kowloon, HONGKONG Tel: +(852) - 2698-6339 Fax: +(852) - 2698-6367 E-mail: ua@ahrchk.org ______________________________________________________________________ AHRC has an Urgent Appeal Programme which operate around the clock. AHRC issues urgent appeals on behalf of persons or groups of persons whose human rights have been violated. All urgent appeals released by the AHRC since late 1997 can be access at our website: <http://www.ahrchk.net/hrappeal.htm>http://www.ahrchk.net/hrappeal.htm ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytpac-02.04.00-09:58:40-10198