Aceh rights trial could convene before Idul Fitri

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid reportedly approved a trial for alleged rights abusers in Aceh which could convene as early as before next month's Idul Fitri.

After meeting with Abdurrahman on Wednesday, the chairman of a commission investigating rights violations in Aceh, Amran Zamzami, said the President had given the green light for a trial.

Amran reported that Abdurrahman said the trial could begin next week if the dossiers had been completed.

"I asked if the trial could be held before Idul Fitri, and the President even expressed hope it could start next week. However, it will depend on the process of the investigations," Amran said.

He said the President was concerned by the situation in Aceh, and pledged to order the establishment of a joint tribunal to try civilian and military defendants to demonstrate his resolve to address injustices in the province.

Amran said his commission would soon meet with Attorney General Marzuki Darusman and Chief Justice Sarwata to urge that the appointment of judges and public prosecutors for legal proceedings in Aceh be accelerated.

The commission concentrated its inquiry on five cases, which Amran described as having ample evidence to prosecute in a court of law.

The cases are the rape of a woman in Pidie in 1996, who subsequently became pregnant and gave birth to a child; the fatal shooting of at least 39 people in North Aceh in May; reported abductions and torture in Rumah Geudong between 1997 and 1998; the death of seven people in Idi Cut in February; and the shooting deaths of 65 people in Beutong Ateuh, West Aceh.

When asked to comment on the military's claim that the deaths in Beutong Ateuh occurred when military personnel were forced to open fire to protect themselves from armed attackers, Amran said: "We have visited the site and we concluded it was impossible (for residents) to get guns there."

In its Nov. 23 report, the commission said the military was involved in all of these cases, and that those responsible should be immediately tried.

When asked whether the President had studied the report, Amran said: "We submitted the report to the President six weeks ago."

Calm

Meanwhile, the relative calm of the province on Wednesday was shattered only once, in an early morning attack in Lhokseumawe.

A police officer identified as Sgt. Maj. Abdul Gani from the Banda Sakti subprecinct, was returning home just after midnight when he was ambushed by armed attackers near Blang Pulo village, Muara Dua district, North Aceh.

"Abdul happened to be carrying a gun and fired back at the gang. He survived the incident with gunshot wounds to the thigh and hand, but the attackers managed to flee," North Aceh Police chief Lt. Col. Syafei Aksal said on Wednesday afternoon.

In South Aceh, the body of Oki, 26, was discovered on Wednesday morning in an abandoned truck in Iku Lhung village, Blang Pidie district.

The victim, who had been missing for several days, was found with a bullet hole in his head.

Oki's father is a former chief of the West Aceh Military Command.

Separately in Banda Aceh, Teuku Umar Military Commander Col. Syarifuddin Tippe ordered on Wednesday one his officers be jailed for 10 days for physically abusing a civilian.

Canang subdistrict military chief Lt. Ramli Abubakar was found guilty of slapping a resident identified as Daud Ismail.

Ramli defended his actions, saying Daud was involved in a mosque fund swindle and that he had been cleared in the slapping incident by local community leaders earlier this year.

Syarifuddin, however, was intent on demonstrating that military personnel would be held accountable for their actions. "We want to show that military members also have to be responsible for their actions."

Some observers said Ramli's actions were the result of personal problems. Four of his family members disappeared in late November when they were moving to Banda Aceh.

Syarifuddin said he feared the four were already dead. (50/edt/prb)