12 soldiers to stand trial for torturing civilians in Aceh
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The martial law administration in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam will immediately court-martial 12 soldiers on charges of torturing dozens of villagers in a move that seems calculated to show the international community the military's strong commitment to protecting Acehnese people's human rights.
Apparently angered by the mistreatment of the civilians, Indonesia Military chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto regretted the incident, which could have the potential to damage the ongoing military operation, saying that despite the recent "reconciliation" between the soldiers, the victims and their relatives, the 12 military personnel allegedly involved in the incident would nevertheless be brought to justice.
"All the soldiers sent to flush out the rebels in the province have been ordered not to mistreat civilians but rather to win their hearts and minds so that the people and the military can together help each other to restore order and security," he said during a press conference at military headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, on Friday.
He added that the suspects would face a court-martial established by the military administration in the near future.
The incident occurred on Aug. 31 when a group of 12 soldiers from the West Java-based Siliwangi Battalion were searching for an alleged rebel identified as Syaiful alias Siopon Cina in Geulumpang Sulu Barat village, North Aceh.
According to eyewitnesses, a number of villagers were beaten and tortured when they failed to provide information on the wanted man, who is said to have escaped on a motorcycle when the questioning of the villagers by the soldiers was under way.
Spokesman for the military operation Lt. Col. Ahmad Yani Basuki said that following the incident, the 12 soldiers had held a "reconciliation ceremony" with the villagers.
He declined to identify the 12 or to say what charges would being laid against them.
In June, six soldiers were sentenced to between four months and five months imprisonment for the beating of civilians in Lawang village in Bireuen regency. The civilians were beaten up after they failed to hand over a rebel whom the soldiers claimed was hiding in the village. In the same month, three other soldiers were sentenced to three years and six months each for raping four Acehnese women when raiding a reported rebel stronghold in North Aceh. They were also dishonorably discharged from the military.
The military has been roundly criticized by NGOs and the National Commission on Human Rights for human rights abuses during the military operation.
Entering the fifth month of the operation, at least 304 civilians have been killed. Both sides have denied responsibility for the civilian deaths.
The New York-based International Human Rights Watch accused Indonesia of violating human rights in quelling the separatist movement, with one of the reasons being that Indonesia has refused to allow international organizations to directly distribute humanitarian aid in the province.