Dear Friends,
The following is a forwarded appeal from the Commission for Disappearances and Victims of Violence in Aceh (KONTRAS-ACEH) regarding the attack of Indonesian troops on Jan. 9, 2003, against civilians who were trying to participate in a peaceful gathering to show their support for the peace agreement.
According to the following appeal, a number of civilians were shot or hit and seriously injured by the brutal attack of the Indonesian armed forces (TNI) Unit 144 despite the signing of a peace agreement between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) on Dec. 9, 2002.
KONTRAS-ACEH urges the Joint Security Committee (JSC), which is responsible for implementing the peace agreement, to conduct an investigation into the incident and to guarantee the democratic rights of the Acehnese people.
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) asks that you respond to these human rights violations and the monitoring of the peace process in Aceh.
Thank you for your attention to this issue.
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission
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The Commission for Disappearances and Victims of Violence in Aceh
Violence against civilians after signing of peace agreement on Dec. 9, 2002
On Jan. 9, 2003, thousands of villagers from East and North Aceh began to go to the town of Lhokseumawe to join a peace demonstration to show their support for the cessation of hostilities between the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the Indonesian government. The demonstration was coordinated by SURA, the Voice of Acehnese. Unfortunately, most of the civil society groups travelling to Lhokseumawe did not arrive there because they were blocked by the Indonesian security forces, and a number of villagers were shot by the Indonesian troops to disperse the people who wanted to go to Lhokseumawe.
Among the victims who were shot are M. Ali Usman, 22, a villager from Kampong Kumbang in Samudra Subdistrict in North Aceh who was shot in the legs; Abdul Jafar, 20, a villager from Kampong Meunasah Teungoh in Syamtalira Bayu Subdistrict in North Aceh who was shot in the thigh; Fikram Ismail, 21, a villager from Kampong Meunasah Teungoh in Syamtalira Bayu Subdistrict in North Aceh who was shot in the legs; Irhami Ismail, 19, a villager from Kampong Meunasah Teungoh in Syamtalira Bayu Subdistrict in North Aceh who was shot in the back.
A number of villagers also were hit and seriously injured. These include Amir Ismail, 35, a villager from Nibong in Syamtalira Aron Subdistrict in North Aceh; Murdiamal M, 17, a villager from Kampong Baro in Samudera Subdistrict in North Aceh; Sofyan Abdullah, 35, a villager from Meunasah Glong Bayu in Syamtalira Bayu Subdistrict in North Aceh; Badliansah, 42, a villager from Meunasah Bale in Syamtalira Bayu Subdistrict in North Aceh; and Hendra Rusli, 24, a villager from Tanjong Awe in Samudra Subdistrict in North Aceh.
Meanwhile, 10 villagers from Ujong Reuba in Geudong Subdistrict and Seunebok Rayeuk in Tanah Luas Subdistrict in North Aceh have been detained in police custody. They are Muhammad Ridwan, Murizal, Syarifuddin, Budiman, Saiful, Usman, M. Yakob, Muslem, Rusli and Murizal.
The troops who blocked the villagers from attending the demonstration for peace have been identified as being from the Indonesian armed forces (TNI) Unit 144 or Jaya Yudha, BKO Sp. Krueng Pase in North Aceh, Brimob BKO sector police in Syamtalira Bayu and Brimob sector police in Geudong in North Aceh.
The peace agreement between the Free Aceh Movement and the Indonesian government permits members of civil society to express their views without intimidation. However, the Indonesian government is still using a military approach despite also engaging in a dialogue for peace.
Tripartite monitoring of the implementation of the peace agreement has been entrusted to the government of Indonesia, the Free Aceh Movement and HDC. Therefore, they must investigate and determine who is responsible for this violence. This investigation must be followed by sanctions against those who violated the agreement. It is very important to ensure that trust-building measures among both parties to the conflict are realised, and they must consider that the Acehnese people also have rights in the peace process.
Based on the reality above, the Commission for Disappearances and Victims of Violence in Aceh (KONTRAS-ACEH) is determined to:
1. urge the Joint Security Committee (JSC), which is composed of GAM, the Indonesian government and HDC, to clarify the details of the violent incident on Jan. 9, 2003, in Lhokseumawe by the Indonesian security forces;
2. urge the president of Indonesia, Megawati Sukarnoputri, to reconsider the membership of the Indonesian government’s representatives on the JSC because they cannot control the Indonesian troops in the field;
3. urge Indonesia’s police commander and commander of the Indonesian armed forces to take responsibility for this incident as it is imperative that the peace process that has been violated by the Indonesian security forces in the field be safeguarded;
4. urge both sides to recognise the rights of the Acehnese people for democracy without terror and intimidation to civilian activities and human rights defenders;
5. call on members of civil society in Aceh to actively participate in monitoring the cessation of hostilities between the Free Aceh Movement and the Indonesian government, participation which can be shown by submitting reports to human rights organisations in Aceh about any violations.
Banda Aceh, Jan. 10, 2003
The Commission for Disappearances and Victims of Violence in Aceh (KONTRAS-ACEH)
For more information, please contact <acehyouth@yahoo.co.uk>.
