NGOs protest arrests of activists in Aceh

NGOs protest arrests of activists in Aceh

JAKARTA: A number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
protested on Wednesday the arrest of two humanitarian workers by
security personnel in Aceh last week, on the suspicion that the
two were members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Usman Hamid, a representative of the NGOs, said after filing a
complaint with the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas
HAM) on Wednesday that the authorities had no right to
arbitrarily arrest activists in Aceh, or any other part of
Indonesia.

Koesparmono Irsan, a commission member, said that he would
phone the Aceh Police chief and go to National Police
Headquarters to settle the case.

Security personnel arrested Asnawi and Fahrizal from the Aceh
Humanitarian Volunteer Association (Pemraka) last Friday, the
first arrest of civilians since the martial law status was
downgraded in May.

The arrest of the aid workers followed another arrest of a
civilian environmental activist, Bestari Raden, who is still
being detained for his alleged involvement with GAM. --JP