ICJ calls for trial of human rights violators in Aceh

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)