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)