Human rights issues in Aceh await Susilo

Human rights issues in Aceh await Susilo

Sam Zarifi , New York

Last month Human Rights Watch published a report detailing the
systematic use of torture against detainees in Aceh by Indonesian
security forces. The military response to the allegations in the
report ranged from anger and defiance to, in some quarters,
concern and an interest in uncovering the truth.

Maj. Gen. Sudrajat, Director-General of Defense Strategy at
the Indonesian Ministry of Defense, told the press that Human
Rights Watch's accusations were baseless, but also stated that
"if there is proof of such torture, the Indonesian Ministry of
Defense will take stern measures against personnel who have
allegedly tortured GAM prisoners."

Human Rights Watch stands by the assertions made in the
report. We welcome the decision to investigate the claims
further, so long as the investigation is genuine, impartial and,
if perpetrators are identified, appropriate disciplinary measures
and prosecutions follow. This would be a step in the right
direction, but more can definitely be done.

Based on experience in Indonesia and other parts of the world,
Human Rights Watch has found that armed forces rarely seriously
investigate and punish war crimes committed by their own
soldiers. This is as true for professional armies as well as
unprofessional ones, as is evident by the U.S. military's
response to allegations of torture in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Prior to the publication of photos of torture at Abu Ghraib
prison, the U.S. military conducted at best half-hearted
investigations into reports of abuse of detainees, endlessly
delayed others, and any punishments handed out were
inconsequential.

Even after the Abu Ghraib photos received worldwide attention,
U.S. military criminal investigations focused only on low-level
soldiers, while senior military and civilian officials have not
been seriously investigated.

If the Indonesian government is serious about addressing
torture in Aceh it should establish an independent investigation
team that includes representatives from Indonesia's National
Commission on Human Rights, Komnas HAM. The government should
invite the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and
Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to
investigate and report on these allegations.

It should also start implementing the detailed recommendations
made by the Committee Against Torture in November 2001 on how to
address and eradicate the practice of torture in Indonesia.
Sadly, torture allegations in Indonesia are nothing new.

Indonesia's new President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono should join
the recent military statements in condemning torture. Yudhoyono
has already told the press that he would spend his first 100 days
in office focusing on domestic issues, with the ongoing conflict
in Aceh as one of his first priorities. A good first step would
be for him to make a public statement and commitment that torture
is unacceptable and that perpetrators will be punished.

Indonesia's Military Police chief Maj. Gen. Ruchyan will
reportedly lead the newly established team to probe the
allegations made in the report. He has publicly stated that he
would start by trying to find and question the prisoners
interviewed by Human Rights Watch.

While Human Rights Watch would be pleased to co-operate with
an independent and objective investigation, we are concerned that
the military is more interested in punishing prisoners who spoke
out about their ill-treatment than addressing the problem. A
better course of action would be to go to Aceh to assess
detention conditions. Human Rights Watch will continue to monitor
prison conditions in Indonesia to ensure that prisoners there
suffer no repercussions for simply telling the truth.

Human Rights Watch believes that an independent and impartial
investigation team will come to the same conclusions as our
report about the practice of torture in Aceh's detention
facilities. In fact, the best way for the Indonesian government,
military and police to dispel ongoing doubts and concerns about
human rights violations in the province will be to open up access
to the province so that independent organizations can monitor the
human rights situation, which will act as a deterrent to future
abuses.

The writer is Deputy Director for Asia at Human Rights Watch,
New York. He can be reached at mohamec@hrw.org.