30 civilians protest TNI intimidation in Aceh

Nani Afrida and Ibnu Mat Noor, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

Hundreds of civilians have been fleeing their villages to the Aceh provincial capital of Banda Aceh to avoid human rights abuses against them by security forces searching for separatist rebels.

The refugees, mostly from East Aceh, have been accommodated in the offices of local human rights and student organizations for the last three weeks.

At least 30 of the refugees marched at the Aceh provincial legislative council on Monday to protest against alleged military terror and violence perpetrated against them in East Aceh.

Tengku Abdurrahman Puteh, a representative of the refugees, said that every time soldiers came to their villages to hunt for separatist rebels, they would abuse and intimidate civilians, even if they had no links with the rebel Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

"Not only do they (the troops) beat us, they also kidnap villagers, burn their houses and rape women. We can no longer stand it," he said during the protest.

Another refugee, identified as Rusli, who was forced to leave his pregnant wife in their village to join the exodus for safety reasons, echoed Abdurrahman's statement.

He said the refugees found it difficult to go to their workplaces as their movements were closely monitored by TNI troops, adding that large tracts of their land were being used for military installations.

"Even to go to our fields is so difficult," Rusli said.

In a statement made available during the protest, the refugees demanded an end to the fighting, sexual harassment, arson and kidnappings.

They also urged the authorities to try human rights abusers and withdraw all TNI and National Police personnel from their villages to restore peace there.

"We will not go home before the security forces are pulled out of our villages," shouted women during the demonstration.

For the last 25 days, the protesting refugees from East Aceh have been housed in the secretariat office of Jeumpa Mirah, a local antiviolence student group. The victims include women, elderly people and children.

Another refugee, 72-year-old Muhammad Abidin, confirmed the reports of military brutality in East Aceh, from where he along with a group of 125 villagers had to flee to Banda Aceh for safety.

"We have been forced to flee because life in our villages is impossible," Abidin, who is from Kuala Simpang village, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

He admitted he was still traumatized by the killing earlier this month of eight civilians by TNI troops without any reason while fishing off East Aceh.

During the incident, Abidin said at least 43 houses and more than 10 motor boats had been set ablaze.

Arman Arga, a 32-year old refugee from Buntul Kemumu village in Central Aceh regency, said he was forced to seek refuge in Banda Aceh after being robbed on Nov. 11 last year by a TNI- backed militia group about eight kilometers from his village.

He also claimed he was tortured, beaten and kicked while being held at the Simpang Dua military post for four hours on charge of providing food to GAM members.

"Because I was not guilty, they (the troops) allowed me to go to a coffee shop. However, I took the opportunity to flee into the nearby jungle," Arga added.

He further said he saw houses belonging to local residents being burned, and met a group of more than 400 people, including women and children, who had also fled to the jungle.

The refugees then set up camps at Krueng Tuan village, he added. "Because life at the camp was increasingly worrying, I and 36 other refugees were forced to seek refuge here (Banda Aceh) on April 7," Arga said.

Meanwhile, at least six more people were killed in further gunfights over the last two days in Aceh, local military and police officers said on Monday.

The deaths came days before the government and GAM are scheduled to resume peace talks in Geneva, Switzerland, in May.

On Sunday, two rebels were shot dead and one soldier wounded in a clash in Pulo Panyang village in Peusangan subdistrict, North Aceh, local TNI spokesman Maj. Zaenal Mutaqin said.

Separately, local police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Dade Achmad said the bodies of at least four civilians bearing gunshot wounds were found in different locations in the regencies of West Aceh, Pidie and North Aceh.

He blamed GAM for the deaths of the four villagers on Saturday. "Currently, GAM often kidnap civilians for ransom. If their demands are rejected, they won't hesitate to kill," Achmad said.