PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS, PEACE AND DEMOCRACY IN INDONESIA

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Aceh arrests could damage prospects for peace

13 February 2003

The recent arrests of civil society activists in Aceh suggest a policy of intimidation harmful to the December cease-fire agreement between the Indonesian Government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) warns TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign, today in a letter to British Foreign Office Minister, Mike O'Brien.

The organisation urges the British Government to call for the immediate release of Muhammad Nazar, the chairman of SIRA the Information Centre for a Referendum in Aceh, who was arrested on 12 February and is being held at police headquarters in the provincial capital Banda Aceh. TAPOL understands he may face charges in relation to a public rally held on 9 January.

In the past two weeks, two other activists have been arrested and held for several days in contravention of the cease-fire agreement, which states: "Both parties will allow civil society to express without hindrance their democratic rights".

TAPOL believes the policy of intimidation by the security forces could reverse improvements made since the signing of the agreement. "It is essential for the Indonesian authorities to be made aware of the deep concern of the international community about any action that violates the rights of civil society … and that can damage the prospects for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Aceh," it says in its letter to the Minister.

Aceh, on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra, has for many years been an area of intense armed conflict between the Indonesian armed forces, TNI, and GAM. The people of Aceh have suffered widespread and systematic human rights abuses, mainly at the hands of the TNI. Thousands of men, women and children have been killed, tortured or "disappeared" without the perpetrators being brought to justice.

The Cessation of Hostilities agreement signed in December has brought renewed hopes of peace although difficulties in the months ahead are widely anticipated.

ENDS

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