Rights body confirms 781 people killed in Aceh
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)