Acehnese rejoice over withdrawal decision<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of Acehnese living in Jakarta, including
\nUnited Development Party (PPP) chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum,
\nheld a prayer here to express their joy and relief over the
\nrecent Armed Forces' decision to withdraw its troops from Aceh.<\/p>\n
Gathered at the Al Azhar Grand Mosque, the Acehnese said they
\nwelcomed the move because the westernmost province had suffered
\nfrom widespread violence and terror over the past 10 years.<\/p>\n
Muchtar Aziz, a member of the House of Representatives' team
\nto investigate reports of atrocities committed by the Armed
\nForces in its military operations in Aceh, expressed hope the
\ndecision would help the people recover from their traumas.<\/p>\n
"Let's hope (it will heal) the trauma after what the Acehnese
\nexperienced and witnessed," he said.<\/p>\n
Minister of Defense and Security\/Armed Forces Commander Gen.
\nWiranto said in Lhokseumawe, East Aceh, on Friday that he had
\nordered the withdrawal of troops -- other than the region's
\nterritorial units -- within a month. Apologizing for the violence
\nthat the people suffered, he also said the province's military
\noperations status had been lifted.<\/p>\n
Immediately afterward, Aceh Governor Sjamsuddin Mahmud, who
\nofficially requested that the status be lifted earlier this
\nmonth, formed a fact-finding team to investigate reports of
\nrapes, abductions, torture and executions allegedly committed by
\nArmed Forces personnel deployed there.<\/p>\n
Rights activists have claimed that Aceh is home to mass graves
\ncontaining up to 1,000 bodies.<\/p>\n
Muchtar pointed out that Aceh, like Irian Jaya and East Timor,
\nwas a hotbed of unsettled issues which were created by its
\nmilitary operations status.<\/p>\n
However, "Aceh never received the spotlight like East Timor
\nand Irian Jaya. In Aceh, bloodshed, torture and terror were daily
\noccurrences for the people of Pidie, North Aceh and East Aceh,"
\nMuchtar said.<\/p>\n
Mustafa Abubakar, organizer of yesterday's gathering, said the
\ngovernment should now make an effort to help those affected by
\nthe violence, including the widows and children of those
\nexecuted.<\/p>\n
The government must also free Aceh political prisoners jailed
\nfor separatism, and uphold human rights, he said.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces stepped up security operations in the
\nprovince during the early 1990s in response to mounted activity
\nby various rebellious armed groups struggling for an independent
\nAceh. (emf)<\/p>",
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