Rights body confirms 781 people killed in Aceh

JAKARTA (JP): The National Commission on Human Rights, fresh from a visit to Aceh, confirmed yesterday that at least 781 people were killed and thousands others suffered during the nine- years of military operations in the country's westernmost province.

The commission's secretary-general, Baharuddin Lopa, told a media conference that at least 368 people were tortured and 163 people are still listed as missing since military operations began in the province in 1989.

"This is only a preliminary report and we are still gathering data for our final report," said Lopa, who returned on Sunday from a four-day visit to investigate atrocities committed during the military operations in Aceh.

Lopa, who led the four-man team which also included Koesparmono Irsan, Soegiri and M. Salim, said at least 102 women were raped. He also said disappearances and extra-judicial killings had widowed 3,000 woman and left between 15,000 and 20,000 children without their parents.

The commission confirmed earlier reports of the existence of the nine mass graves containing the bodies of suspected supporters of the Free Aceh Movement.

However, in a four-page report, the commission said that it only visited five of the mass graves -- Kuala Tari, Rumah Geudong, Daya Tumamah in Pidie regency and Bukit Sentang and Alue Bukit in North Aceh regency.

"We may need about two more weeks to dig up all the mass graves," Lopa said, adding that excavations were sometimes hard to carry out because of the hard packed soil.

As reported earlier, the team found a number of skeletons in the mass graves.

The skeletal remains of 12 bodies were dug up from a single grave at Bukit Sentang on Saturday.

"We found 12 pairs of thigh bones, 5 skulls, four pairs of trousers, 2 pair of underpants, and six pairs of arm bones which were still tied together with plastic cords," Lopa said.

Lopa said the team also met with local authorities and called on them to immediately release all political detainees in the province.

The commission also urged the local government give the victims' relatives temporary compensation, saying the central government would need some time to devise a permanent settlement.

Amid mounting public pressure, Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto visited Aceh earlier this month and pledged to withdraw combat troops deployed from outside the province. He also apologized for the military's conduct, which he said had exceeded "acceptable norms".

The first group of 250 troops left Aceh last week and the second group of 660 troops will leave on Aug. 31. (byg)