Reports surface of recent rapes in Aceh

JAKARTA (JP): A human rights group said on Friday it had received reports that security personnel had raped a number of women during the recent anti-separatist operations in Aceh.

"At least seven women between 16 and 30 years of age were raped in North Aceh in the last three weeks," Munir of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) told a media conference.

"We still need to investigate further, but we have received reports from a number of local non-governmental organizations saying these acts were committed by security personnel," Munir said.

Both Lilawangsa Regional Military Commander Col. Syafnil Armen, who oversees security in North Aceh, East Aceh and Pidie, and riot troop commander Col. Ridwan Karim could not be immediately reached for comment on Friday.

The rape reports were given as part of the latest information on conditions reported by Kontras regarding Aceh, mainly in North and East Aceh and Pidie.

"The wave of refugees is continuing along with escalating military operations in various areas," Munir said.

Instead of giving protection to residents, the reported violence "shows that the strengthening of military operations in Aceh has not at all reduced fear among residents", he said, adding that it had achieved the opposite.

Kontras last recorded at least 59,076 refugees in 12 locations -- including thousands from one district in Pidie.

"All residents of Tangse district have moved out," Kontras' statement said.

"The Aceh problem will continue as long as the government does not pull out the troops from the province," Munir said.

As well as the rapes, other "excesses" of the military operations included torture and abduction, he said.

However, the military has repeatedly stated that the violence, in which civilians and military members have been killed, was caused by the Free Aceh Movement.

The military has accused separatist forces of intimidating residents to boycott the elections, and intimidating migrant settlers to leave their villages.

Despite strong public criticism, Jakarta sent at least 1,200 reinforcement troops to Aceh days after the military shootings in the North Aceh village of Krueng Geukueh on May 3, which left at least 41 civilian protesters dead.

Violence has since then increased in North Aceh, East Aceh and Pidie, where at least 100 people have been killed. About 400 houses, school buildings and government offices were set on fire in the attacks and counterattacks between the military and alleged Free Aceh Movement members.

North Aceh, East Aceh and Pidie regencies have been worst affected by the anti-rebel operations from 1989 to 1998, and are the regencies where calls for a referendum on self-determination and an election boycott have been the strongest.

The National Commission on Human Rights has said that at least 781 people were killed and thousands of others suffered during the operations.(byg)