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.