ICJ calls for trial of human rights violators in Aceh

JAKARTA (JP): The Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) called on the government on Monday to send alleged human rights perpetrators in the troubled province of Aceh to trial.

"We are firmly of the opinion that where cases can be brought and proven, those people who are held responsible for the abuses should be prosecuted and be punished," Spencer Zifcak, member of the Australian section of the ICJ, told reporters after meeting with Minister of Justice Muladi.

Zifcak and four other members of ICJ visited Aceh last week as part of their two-week visit in the country.

Zifcak said that the meeting with Muladi was "to discuss the changes to the judicial system and to the human rights that have taken place since the ascension of President B.J. Habibie".

"We discussed with the minister what action might be taken in relation to (the alleged rights abuses in Aceh) and we were in an agreement that action should be taken particularly in relation to the compensation to the victims," Zifcak said.

The National Commission on Human Rights has announced that at least 781 people were killed and thousands others suffered during nine years of military operation to quell separatist movement in the country's westernmost province.

It also said that at least 368 people were tortured and 163 people are still listed as missing since military operations began in the province in 1989. At least 102 women were raped and disappearances and extra-judicial killings had widowed 3,000 women and left between 15,000 and 20,000 children without their parents.

The military operations were suspended last year but new operations were launched following the murder of nine soldiers last December in East Aceh.

Habibie's government has tried to appease the anger since he took office in May last year. He visited the province capital of Banda Aceh on Friday and apologized for the military's conduct during their operations.

He also recently freed 40 political prisoners linked to the Free Aceh movement.

"We applaud the government for its release of political prisoners and we regard this as an enormously positive step in human rights promotion in the country," Zifcak said.

ICJ was founded in 1952 and works to promote human rights through the rule of law worldwide. It also conducts studies of factual and legal aspects of situations which impinge on human rights. (byg)