PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS, PEACE AND DEMOCRACY IN INDONESIA

111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Tel +44 (0)20 8771 2904 Fax +44 (0)20 8653 0322
Email tapol@gn.apc.org Website http://www.tapol.org

< NEWS & STATEMENTS

URGENT ACTION: Lesley McCulloch and Joy Lee Sadler

18 November 2002

See also press release dated 18 November 2002

Dear friends,

Please circulate as widely as possible.

British academic and authority on the Indonesian armed forces, TNI, Lesley McCulloch, and American health-care worker, Joy Lee Sadler, have now been held by the Indonesian authorities in the strife torn region of Aceh for over two months without trial.

The women were arrested on 11 September and have since been subjected to ill treatment and the abuse of their rights as detainees.  Their health is rapidly deteriorating, especially Joy's, who is HIV positive.

They have been charged with violating the terms of their visas, which normally results in deportation.

Dr McCulloch, until recently a lecturer at the University of Tasmania, is a respected observer of the human rights situation in Aceh and the conflict there.  She has been a vigorous critic of rights abuses in Aceh.  Joy Lee Sadler is a health-care worker who travelled to Aceh to help the sick and injured in refugee camps. 

The authorities clearly wish to make an example of Lesley and Joy and are intent on preventing any dispassionate analysis of Aceh's problems by independent observers.  The police have stated that they are being 'taught a lesson' in order to warn foreigners against visiting Aceh.

In a message from their place of detention, Lesley and Joy have expressed their heartfelt thanks to their many friends outside for helping to make a difference to their conditions, but they still need your urgent support.

ACTION:

Please send a LETTER or FAX today to Indonesia's Justice and Foreign Minsters.  Let the Indonesian Government know that they are being closely watched and they will not get away with their continued ill treatment of Lesley and Joy. 

Prof. Dr. Yusril Ihza Mahendra, Minster of Justice and Human Rights, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. 6-7, Kuningan, Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia.  Fax: +62 21 5253095 /310 4149/5225036

Dr. Nur Hassan Wirajuda, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jl. Pejambon No.6, Jakarta Pusat 10410, Indonesia. Fax: +62 21 3805511/3457782/ 7245354/3855481

BACKGROUND:

Aceh, on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra, has for many years been an area of intense conflict between the Indonesian security forces and the Free Aceh Movement, GAM.  The exploitation of natural resources by the central government led to GAM's formation in 1976 and to open resistance to rule from Jakarta.  The people of Aceh have suffered from widespread and systematic human rights abuses at the hands of the TNI.  Thousands of men, women and children have been killed, tortured or "disappeared".

SAMPLE LETTER (please use your own wording if possible):

Dear Minister,

I am writing to express my dismay at the treatment of British citizen, Dr Lesley McCulloch, and American citizen, Joy Lee Sadler, who have been held by the Indonesian authorities in Aceh since 11 September.  I believe their treatment and their continued detention without trial are inhumane and a blatant violation of their rights under international law.

Dr McCulloch and Ms Sadler are being charged with visa violations, which they deny.  It is apparent that the authorities are pursuing their cases for political reasons and intend to make examples of them in order to warn foreigners against visiting Aceh.  Most visitors to Indonesia suspected of visa violations are simply deported.

Ms Sadler is HIV positive.  She is seriously ill and her condition is deteriorating rapidly.  Dr McCulloch is suffering from intense back pain brought on by the conditions of her detention.  Both women have made serious allegations that they have been assaulted and sexually harassed.

I am sure that the Indonesian Government is concerned about the welfare and rights of persons in its custody.  Dr McCulloch and Ms Sadler have suffered more than enough from their inhumane treatment and their health will be in grave danger if they are kept in custody.  The length of their detention is already out of all proportion to the offences alleged against them and I therefore urge you to arrange their immediate and unconditional release.

I am grateful to you for your attention to this urgent matter.

Yours sincerely etc.,  

For more information, please contact Paul Barber at TAPOL the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign: plovers@gn.apc.org; tel/fax: +44 1420 80153.  Please also send TAPOL a copy of your letter and any reply you receive so that we can keep a tally.

Thank you.

News & Statements archive

top