Military operation in Aceh fails: Komnas HAM<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) said on
\nFriday that the military operation against the separatist Free
\nAceh Movement (GAM) had failed and urged both parties to go back
\nto the negotiating table.<\/p>\n
The commission's team for Aceh argued that the operation had
\nincreased the number of civilian victims from a series of violent
\nacts, including arbitrary arrests, torture, kidnapping, sexual
\nabuse and extrajudicial killings.<\/p>\n
\"The number of (civilian) victims has been increasing since
\nthe imposition of martial law on May 19. There are more widows
\nand children who have suffered economically, socially and
\npsychologically,\" the team said in a statement, which was read by
\nteam chairman M.M. Billah.<\/p>\n
Billah said that the widows and children suffered \"trauma and
\nwant to take revenge.\"<\/p>\n
He also said that the military operation had not \"won the
\nhearts of the Acehnese people as was expected.\"<\/p>\n
\"The military emergency operation has failed to achieve its
\ngoal as intended by the Indonesian Military,\" Billah told
\nreporters. \"It has failed because many of the victims are
\ncivilians and noncombatants.\"<\/p>\n
The commission angered the military last month when it said it
\nwas investigating reports of a mass grave in the restive
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
During the press conference, Billah presented the team's
\nfindings after its recent visit to Aceh. The team found a case in
\nwhich a man whose name was similar to one of the GAM leaders was
\nmurdered. The man was arrested without a warrant and was later
\ntortured and murdered.<\/p>\n
\"One of his family members told us (about the torture and
\nmurder),\" Billah said.<\/p>\n
The commission also said that extrajudical killings, rape and
\ntorture had been taking place but it declined to say who was
\nresponsible.<\/p>\n
The military said that it had killed 338 GAM members since May
\n19, while more then 600 had either surrendered or been captured.<\/p>\n
The military has not been recording civilian deaths, but the
\npolice said that 150 civilians had been killed.<\/p>\n
Independent verification of death tolls or of allegations of
\nhuman rights violations is proving difficult.<\/p>\n
Billah said that his team strongly urged both the government
\nand GAM to settle the conflict in Aceh, peacefully.<\/p>\n
\"If they agree we could be their mediator. Or, they could re-
\nappoint the HDC,\" he said, referring to the Henry Dunant Centre,
\nwhich facilitated the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement last
\nyear.<\/p>\n
Military abuses are cited as one of the igniting factors in
\nthe formation of the separatist movement which began in 1976. At
\nleast 10,000 people have been killed during the bloody conflict
\nin the province.<\/p>",
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