Legislator hopes wounds from military action can be healed
Legislator hopes wounds from military action can be healed
JAKARTA (JP): A noted legislator said on Saturday during a
visit to Aceh that feelings of vengeance caused by the military
operations in the province could hopefully be healed.
Antara reported from Banda Aceh that Aisyah Amini, chairwoman
of House of Representatives Commission I for political affairs,
said the commission welcomed the province's initiative to hold a
meeting of various groups in Aceh.
"We welcome the plan... in the hope that all feelings of
revenge sparked by the military operations (1989-1998) can be
healed," Aisyah told officials here during talks involving six
other Commission I members.
The meeting is scheduled for Nov. 5.
Investigations into human rights violations during the nine
years of military operations have revealed numerous alleged cases
of torture, murder, rape, intimidation and abduction by military
personnel and people assisting them.
Rights activists have raised the stigma attached to members
and families of those alleged to be insurgent groups charged with
trying to set up a separate state, as being among the constraints
preventing earlier reports of the extent of people's suffering.
Aisyah acknowledged the violations reported in the Pidie
regency, North Aceh and East Aceh.
The National Commission on Human Rights, the Aceh non-
governmental organizations' forum and a fact-finding team working
with the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence
(Kontras), have said hundreds of women were widowed and thousands
of children lost one or both parents during the military
operations.
The Aceh NGOs Forum estimated at least 1,165 fatalities, a
large number of which were buried in mass graves.
Aisyah reiterated that what's most important now was to direct
help toward victims, particularly widows and orphans, and also to
people whose homes had been set on fire.
Aisyah said her Commission suggested a few years ago that the
military operations end in Aceh, following reports of human
rights violations there.
Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander
Gen. Wiranto has said the violations were perpetrated by a number
of military members, which did not reflect ABRI's conduct as a
whole. However, he asked forgiveness for the suffering of the
Acehnese during the military operations.
"We are grateful that finally in August the military
operations ended," Aisyah said.
On the issue of people known as cuak -- who collaborated in
military operations -- Aisyah said they should also be brought to
trial if proven guilty of any crime.
"If the crime is not proven, they should still apologize if it
is said they hurt the people," she said. (anr)