Aceh massacre trial delayed again

Aceh massacre trial delayed again

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): State Minister of Human Rights Affairs
Hasballah M. Saad confirmed here on Friday that the trial of a
massacre in West Aceh allegedly committed by soldiers has again
been postponed another month.

Speaking after a meeting with heads of the Aceh Prosecutors
Office and Provincial Court in Banda Aceh, Hasballah confirmed
that the joint military and civilian tribunal could be delayed
until April.

"The problem lies in the incomplete case documents and to
solve it these documents have to be sent back to Jakarta," he
said.

"Such a process is expected to be completed in the second week
of March," Hasballah said.

He added that a total of 23 suspects would be put before the
joint tribunal, including missing suspect Lt. Col. Sudjono.

Sudjono is among the those who are allegedly guilty of the
shooting to death of religious teacher Tengku Bantaqiah, his
first wife and students in July.

Local military officers maintain Bantaqiah and his students
were killed in an exchange of fire. But an inquiry reported that
there was no resistance when they were killed by the soldiers.

The trial was originally planned for January but has been
rescheduled several times, partly due to the disappearance of
Sudjono who has been missing since November.

The Bantaqiah case is expected to be the first of five rights
cases being focused on in Aceh.

Separately, National Police chief Lt. Gen. Roesdihardjo during
a visit to the province on Friday said police officers stationed
in Aceh should remain on a state of alert.

Escorted by two armored vehicles, Roesdihardjo arrived in
Banda Aceh around 11 a.m. to visit officers stationed in the
violence-prone province.

"Many of your fellow officers were wounded, abducted and even
killed because they were not on alert about the situation. You
must all remember that Aceh is an operational area. You have to
be most alert," he said in an hour-long visit to Mobile Brigade
Police Headquarters in the Jeulingke area, about five kilometers
from Banda Aceh.

Many officers have been killed in ambushes or sneak attacks in
the province. (39/50/edt)