Inquiry into Aceh rights abuses to continue<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) rejected on
\nTuesday the government's request that the rights body seek
\nofficial confirmation of any abuses against civilians it finds in
\nwar-torn Aceh.<\/p>\n
Chairman of Komnas HAM Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara said that
\nas an independent institution, the rights body was accountable to
\nthe public.<\/p>\n
"We have to maintain our independence in upholding human
\nrights and if we fail to do so, how could we stop rights abuses
\nand bring the perpetrators to court?" Garuda told reporters after
\na meeting with Coordinating Minister for Political and Security
\nAffairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the latter's office.<\/p>\n
Garuda said the commission would continue disclosing to the
\npublic any alleged rights abuses it uncovered in Aceh, where the
\nmilitary offensive to crush rebels has entered its sixth week
\nafter martial law was imposed on May 19.<\/p>\n
"I beg Pak Susilo's understanding that in a conflict situation
\nsuch as in Aceh, it is not easy to obtain clarification in the
\nfield. Therefore, instead of making public denials through the
\nmedia, why don't the security authorities probe into reports of
\nabuses against civilians," he said.<\/p>\n
The meeting took place on the heels of the commission's recent
\ndisclosure of reports on rampant human rights abuses in the
\nprovince since the martial law came into effect. Among the
\nreports were the finding of a mass grave in Nissam district in
\nNorth Aceh, the formation of armed militia groups, rapes, torture
\nand extrajudicial killings.<\/p>\n
Both the government and the Indonesian Military (TNI) denied
\nthe reports and urged the commission to provide evidence, while
\nTNI Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto questioned the validity of the
\nrights abuse reports, saying that the commission had collected
\ninformation from a "trash can".<\/p>\n
The rights body sent on Tuesday another a team to verify the
\nreports, the second since May 19.<\/p>\n
Garuda urged the government to provide protection for
\nwitnesses and victims of the violence in Aceh, although the bill
\non the issue is still being deliberated by the House of
\nRepresentatives.<\/p>\n
He said the meeting on Tuesday did not specifically cover the
\nreports, but discussed efforts on how to stop violence against
\ncivilians anywhere in the country.<\/p>\n
During the meeting, both parties also agreed to appoint
\nZoemrotin K. Soesilo from the commission and Rachsobawono, the
\nminister's deputy for legal and human rights affairs, as the
\npersons in charge of handling the Aceh rights issue.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Sudi Silalahi, an assistant to the
\nminister, said that the findings and reports obtained by the
\nrights body were necessary to help the military and police stay
\ninformed as to whether rights abuses took place.<\/p>\n
"But we hope the commission will think twice before revealing
\ncases, so that the people will not get confused," Sudi said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/inquiry-into-aceh-rights-abuses-to-continue-1447893297",
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