Rights observers appointed to Aceh<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The National Commission on Human Rights has
\nappointed two liaison officers in Aceh to help record violations
\nof human rights in the oil-rich province.<\/p>\n
The officers are Dahlan M.H., who is the dean of Syah Kuala
\nUniversity Law School and Saifuddin Bantasyam, who lectures in
\nthe same institute, Antara reported on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"For the time being, people should report any problems to the
\nuniversity's law school because we do not yet have an office,\"
\nDahlan was quoted as saying, adding that facilities would be set
\nup in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh in the near future.<\/p>\n
Their letters of appointment were signed on Jan. 5 by the
\nrights commission's chairman Marzuki Darusman, he said.<\/p>\n
The liaison officers are authorized to receive and record
\nreports of human rights abuse and to make field tours to verify
\nthe allegations.<\/p>\n
The appointment of the liaison officers came shortly after the
\nprovince moved into both the national and international spotlight
\nlate last year when residents from a rural part of the province
\nkilled seven soldiers.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces accused separatist rebels of being behind the
\nkillings. Subsequent military operations to root out the alleged
\nperpetrators resulted in the deaths of over a dozen civilians.<\/p>\n
Large numbers of Acehnese allegedly suffered at the hands of
\nthe Armed Forces during a military operation to quash separatist
\nrebels in the province.<\/p>\n
The operation began in the late 1980s and ran to through to
\nthe middle of last year.<\/p>\n
The terrible extent of the Acehnese people's suffering during
\nthis period was revealed last year in a report by the National
\nCommission on Human Rights. The report revealed that at least 781
\npeople were killed and thousands more suffered various forms of
\nabuse and torture during the nine-year military operation.<\/p>\n
When announcing an end to military operation in August last
\nyear, Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto apologized to
\nthe Acehnese people and said the conduct of some soldiers and
\nofficers had \"exceeded acceptable norms\".<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Antara reported that students from the Jantho
\nchapter of the Association of Islamic Students (HMI) and an
\nassociation known by the acronym HIMAB called on Governor
\nSyamsuddin Mahmud to push for justice for the Acehnese people.<\/p>\n
\"We urge the governor to take swift action, regardless of the
\nrisks he may face, even death, to solve Aceh's problems,\"
\nAssadullah Mustafa from HIMAB was quoted as saying.<\/p>\n
Tarmizi M. from the HMI called for a \"referendum\" if the
\ngovernor failed to meet demands for the perpetrators of past
\nmilitary atrocities to be brought to justice.<\/p>\n
\"Our history has shown that the Acehnese people are loyal to
\nthe Republic of Indonesia...a referendum would be a way of asking
\nthe public how they want their problems to be solved,\" Tarmizi
\nsaid. (aan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rights-observers-appointed-to-aceh-1447893297",
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