Civil war victims 'deserve justice': Dawood<\/p>\n
Febry Orida, Associated Press\/Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
Civilians who lost family and friends during a three-decade
\nseparatist war in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam province deserve
\njustice, rebels said on Sunday, days after an agreement was
\nsigned to end fighting that claimed nearly 15,000 lives.<\/p>\n
The peace accord paves the way for the creation of a human
\nrights tribunal, but the government says warring factions agreed
\nduring negotiations in Finland that the tribunal would not be
\nused retroactively. Only violations that occurred after Aug. 15
\nwill be heard.<\/p>\n
Rebel spokesman Sofyan Dawood said neither the government nor
\nseparatists have the right to make that decision for the victims
\n-- most of whom were civilians.<\/p>\n
\"That should depend on the Acehnese people whose rights were
\nviolated,\" he said. \"We cannot claim to represent them.\"<\/p>\n
Human rights groups have accused Indonesian soldiers and
\npolice -- and to a lesser extent Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels
\n-- of killings, torture, kidnappings, rape and disappearances
\nduring their 29-year war.<\/p>\n
Many of the alleged atrocities occurred when Aceh was under
\ntight military control and escaped the international spotlight.
\nBefore the Dec. 26 tsunami, the province was closed to foreign
\njournalists and aid workers.<\/p>\n
Dawood said he had no objection if political leaders decided
\nthat Indonesian troops and rebels fighters should not be held
\naccountable for crimes in the course of the conflict.<\/p>\n
\"This could be considered the consequence of a struggle,\" he
\nsaid in a telephone interview with AP.<\/p>\n
\"But they have no right to decide about human rights
\nviolations against civilians, the common people,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The peace pact was signed after the rebels gave up their long-
\nheld demand for independence for the oil- and gas-rich province
\nat the tip of Sumatra island and agreed to disarm.<\/p>\n
In return, Jakarta offered the GAM rebels amnesty and the
\nright to political representation. The military also agreed to
\npull out more than half of its 50,000 troops in the province of
\n4.1 million.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/civil-war-victims-deserve-justice-dawood-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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