RI rebukes human rights watchdog over Aceh

RI rebukes human rights watchdog over Aceh

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta

The government has played down the Human Rights Watch's
accusation of gross human rights abuses in the ongoing military
operation in Aceh, saying that such an accusation is groundless.

Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa told The
Jakarta Post here on Friday that despite the loss of innocent
civilians, the Indonesian government was obliged to protect the
Acehnese people's human rights in the operation to wipe out the
Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

"It is simply arrogant to accuse us of violating human rights,
just because they are not able to access Aceh," he said when
asked to comment on the international human rights watchdog's
accusation.

Marty said the non government organization (NGO) should not
pretend to know what was happening in the resource-rich province
and should not presume that the Acehnese people's rights had been
abused.

New York-based Human Rights Watch's executive director Brad
Adams accused Indonesia of having violated human rights during
the military operation that has so far run for four months.

"The Indonesian government should not be blocking humanitarian
assistance at this critical juncture... The people of Aceh could
be facing a real disaster behind closed doors," Adams told the
Post.

Adams also urged UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to take up
the matter with the Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri
during her upcoming visit to New York.

"Access to Aceh should be at the top of the international
agenda for President Megawati," he said.

He also asked that the international community remind Megawati
of her obligations to allow the distribution of humanitarian
relief in Aceh.

Megawati is slated to hold a meeting with Annan on Sept. 23 on
the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session at the UN
headquarters New York.

The Indonesian government imposed restrictions on foreigners
entering Aceh, due to the martial law imposed on May 19 to
restore security and order in the province.

The restrictions also applied to all humanitarian workers,
from organizations including the UN, to travel around Aceh. Aid
must be distributed through the government or the Indonesian Red
Cross.

Marty said that the government has its own mechanism to
supervise the ongoing military operation and ensure minimum
civilian casualties.

"We are thankful for their attention, but we want to underline
that Indonesia itself has an interest in protecting its people
and winning the ongoing war," he said.