Rights body to probe Irian violations<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The National Commission on Human Rights promised
\nyesterday to investigate reports of killings and vandalism in a
\nnumber of Irian Jaya villages allegedly committed by an Armed
\nForces unit.<\/p>\n
Commission members B.N. Marbun and Clementino dos Reis Amaral
\nreceived a delegation of Irian Jaya students yesterday. The
\nstudents presented a report which claimed that between December
\n1996 and October 1997, a number of innocent civilians were killed
\nwhen a military unit was operating in the Mimika area.<\/p>\n
The report, compiled by three church groups in Irian Jaya,
\nsaid the incidents occurred in the villages of Bela, Alama, Jila
\nand Mapenduma.<\/p>\n
Prior to meeting with commission members, the students also
\ntried to meet with Minister of Defense and Security\/Armed Forces
\nCommander Gen. Wiranto at the Armed Forces headquarters.<\/p>\n
However, Wiranto was unavailable so they presented the report
\nto Col. F.X. Bachtiar, a member of staff in the secretary
\ngeneral's office in the ministry.<\/p>\n
According to one of the students, Yafet Kambai, Bachtiar said
\nthe Armed Forces would look into the matter.<\/p>\n
The report claimed that during the military operations, in
\nwhich the troops were assigned to crush the Irian Jaya separatist
\nmovement, many rights violations were committed, including the
\ndestruction of several houses.<\/p>\n
The report also accused soldiers of damaging two community
\nhealth centers and a radio communication facility owned by a
\nlocal church.<\/p>\n
The Irian Jaya students urged commission members to
\nimmediately establish a fact finding team to thoroughly
\ninvestigate the case.<\/p>\n
\"We want an independent team to investigate the rights
\nviolations in Irian Jaya,\" student Yafet Kambai said.<\/p>\n
Yafet also said military operations in the area should be
\nstopped because they only spread fear among the local community.<\/p>\n
Separately in Jayapura, 300 students came to the provincial
\nlegislature to protest against the treatment they received from
\nsecurity forces in the inland areas of the vast province.<\/p>\n
The students demanded the Armed Forces adopt a more humane
\napproach and end repressive measures. (byg\/swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rights-body-to-probe-irian-violations-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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