Teachers targeted in GAM areas<\/p>\n
Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Langsa, East Aceh<\/p>\n
The Human Rights Forum (PB HAM) deplored on Monday the continued
\nviolence against civilians, especially teachers, in war-ravaged
\nAceh on the eve of the Indonesia-Free Aceh Movement (GAM) peace
\ntalks scheduled for Oct. 31, 2002.<\/p>\n
Mohammad Jusuf Puteh alias Neksuh, coordinator of PB HAM, told
\nThe Jakarta Post here on Monday that he had continued to receive
\nreports of wanton violence against civilians without any
\ninvestigations or explanations, from authorities.<\/p>\n
He said he had just received a report of two civilians who
\ndisappeared over the weekend and so far, security authorities had
\ngiven no explanation.<\/p>\n
Ridwan, a 25-year-old resident of Alue Lhouk in Peureulak
\nTimur, in East Aceh, disappeared after visiting relatives in
\nKuala Simpang, Aceh Tamiang, on Oct. 24, 2002. Ahmad, 66, a
\nresident of Peureulak was abducted by gunmen as he was sitting on
\nthe verandah of his own home.<\/p>\n
Neksuh said his organization had received hundreds of reports
\nof abductions, disappearances and murders, as well as the
\ndiscovery of hundreds of bodies in the last ten months.<\/p>\n
Another shocking recent report was about a man named Sulaiman,
\na resident of Baroh village in Langsa, who was murdered in front
\nof his children on Oct. 25, 2002 when he was working in his
\nfield. The gunmen fled.<\/p>\n
Sulaiman's body was recovered the following day after his
\nfamily reported the incident to PB HAM.<\/p>\n
Relatives of teachers who were abducted or killed by gunmen in
\nEast Aceh also expressed their disappointment with the
\nadministration for allowing the perpetrators to act with impunity
\nin the regency.<\/p>\n
Irwati Usman, 40, said her brother Irjani Usman, 29, was
\nabducted on Sept. 9, 2002, and so far, the administration had
\npaid no attention to the incident.<\/p>\n
"We don't know whether he is still alive or not and he has
\nthree children. If he has been murdered, we want to see his
\ngrave. The horrible thing is that the local authorities have been
\ntotally silent about his disappearance," she said.<\/p>\n
Irwati said her brother was abducted as he was returning home
\nfrom his school where he was a teacher in Langsa.<\/p>\n
"According to eyewitnesses, he (Irjani) was abducted by two
\ngunmen riding a motorcycle. And now he is gone..," said Irwati,
\nalso a school teacher in Langsa.<\/p>\n
Neksuh called on the conflicting sides to stop targeting
\ncivilians because they knew nothing about the prolonged conflict.<\/p>\n
"Both sides should stop the violence ahead of the planned
\npeace talks to help create peace in the province. Most people are
\nsick and tired of this war that has claimed thousands of lives,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
He admitted that more than 50 teachers had this year been
\nconfirmed murdered. Both the military and GAM deny
\nresponsibility. In GAM strongholds, such as parts of East Aceh,
\nschool curricula is often tailored to include a local view of
\nhistory and other subjects.<\/p>\n
Nearly all of the civilian victims have been ethnic Acehnese
\nas a large percentage of the huge numbers of Javanese
\ntransmigrants have fled the province in fear of GAM attacks. GAM
\nhad reportedly targeted the Javanese, but rarely harms local
\npeople unless they are found to be informants.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/teachers-targeted-in-gam-areas-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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