PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS, PEACE AND DEMOCRACY IN INDONESIA

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Aceh: TAPOL calls for cancellation of plans for military command and for rescission of 'shoot on sight' order

17 January 2002

TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign, today called on the British Government to press the Indonsian authorities to cancel the plan to set up a separate military command in Aceh and to order the military command in Aceh to rescind his 'shoot-on-sight' order.

In its letter to Minister Ben Bradshaw on 17 January 2002, TAPOL said:

'The Indonesian armed forces earlier this week announced that they would go ahead with a decision to create a military command in Aceh despite protests from a large number of civil society organisations in Aceh. These

organisations pointed out that the establishment of this military command would further intensify the level of military operations in the territory. When the idea of setting up a military command in Aceh was first mooted in Jakarta, the Bukit Barisan military commander said that the views of the Acehnese people would be considered but it appears that the only voice in favour was that of the provincial governor, Mr Abdullah Puteh, and one or two members of the local assembly. All other views have been ignored.'

It went on to say: 'Matters have been made even worse by a ‘shoot-to-kill’ order issued on Monday by Brig.General Djali Yusuf, commander of military operations in Aceh. He was quoted in Tuesday’s Jakarta Post as saying: ‘I have

ordered all security officers to shoot on sight those found intentionally disturbing public order or peace.’ This is a grave threat to the safety of anyone deemed by the military to be acting against their wishes. The threat is particularly ominous at present when Aceh is in the throes of a general strike to protest against the establishment of the military command.'

The letter concluded by calling on the British Government:

1. To press the Indonesian Government and military to cancel plans to create a military command in Aceh.

2. To call on the Indonesian authorities to order the commander of military operations in Aceh to rescind his ‘shoot-on-sight’ order, which is nothing short of a criminal act.

3. To press the Indonesian authorities to start the process of bring to justice all those responsible for human rights abuses in Aceh, dating back to 1989 when DOM was first introduced.

ENDS

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