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NEWS & LETTERS, JULY 2003
Repression of Acheh freedom movement continues
Indonesia continues its war against the northwest
province of Acheh, a massive offensive designed to wipe out the separatist
guerrilla movement known as GAM and, apparently, to turn Acheh into a
concentration camp. It seems the war is really being waged against the civilians
who organized themselves into a broad referendum movement, in order to force
them to give up any idea of independence. The war began May 19 and has intensified since
independent journalists were banned. After the army killed a German tourist and
injured his wife, the area was closed to visitors and the government curbed
communications to prevent the world from knowing the details of its atrocities. But two visits by the government's human rights
commission, KomnasHAM, confirmed reports of summary executions, including of
children; abuse of women; and massive removal of villagers to camps, where
conditions are terrible. Especially since most of the humanitarian aid
organizations have been forced out of Acheh and no aid is allowed in, a huge
human disaster is in the making. ‘SHOCK THERAPY’ In mid-June, the air force used its U.S.-built F-16
fighters for the first time to bomb an area of North Acheh in order to
"force the rebels to come out of their hiding place, as this will make it
easier for us to attack them," the army said; it will "give them some
shock therapy." Light Bronco counter-insurgency aircraft were also used to
rocket and strafe the area. These attacks, which are more likely to kill and
maim innocent civilians than GAM rebels, are part of a strategy to drive the
local populations out of the war zone. The government has announced the
relocation of thousands of villagers, and estimates are that 40,000 may have
been relocated so far into camps designed to hold up to 200,000 people. Health officials have treated thousands of refugees for
illnesses since they were moved into camps around the province, an official
said, including respiratory ailments, skin disease, bronchitis and diarrhea.
Some refugees are suffering health problems due to overcrowding and lack of
clean water, and food shortages have begun. ATTACK ON THE MASSES AND LEADERS The extent of the relocation gives the lie to the
government's claim that its only aim is to wipe out an estimated 5,000 GAM
guerrillas. The guerrillas have widespread support in the villages, and the
government apparently knows it cannot force its kind of "peace" on
Acheh without destroying that country. Often villagers flee when the army
approaches to avoid its killings, rapes, and torture, so that many displaced
persons are hiding in the forests, without food or shelter. When the army moves
people to camps, it then loots and burns their homes. Not only are all pro-referendum and human rights
activists being detained and interrogated by the police if they are not killed
on the spot, but so are any remaining humanitarian workers. Several, including
four members of the Centre for Human Rights and two volunteers with the
Indonesian Red Cross, were accused of having relations with GAM and charged with
subversion, which carries a penalty of life imprisonment. On June 7, Saiful Bachri, an activist with KONTRAS (the
Commission for Victims of Violence and Missing Persons), was shot dead. Since
all activists are both subject to arrest and in danger of abduction by
military-backed militias, many have fled or gone underground. The face of fascism is evident in Indonesia's conduct of
the war. At least three pro-government militias are active in Acheh. The army
created militias to attack pro-independence groups in East Timor in 1999, and
regularly uses such thugs in West Papua and other areas. GOVERNMENT MILITIAS In May, a militia attacked the KONTRAS and Legal Aid
offices in Jakarta for speaking out against the war, and the government
instructed the population of Jakarta to spy on the Achehnese neighborhoods to
root out any activists. Two large protests of the war were held in Jakarta in
May, but the demonstrators were quickly repressed. The U.S. press has hardly mentioned the atrocities going
on in Acheh. A campaign by Acheh supporters in the U.S. and by international
journalists' organizations was necessary to save the life of William Nessen, an
American freelance journalist who was with a GAM unit in the mountains when
martial law was declared. He reported that he tried to surrender to army troops
but was fired upon and forced to flee. In late June, he was finally allowed to
surrender in the presence of a U.S. official, but he is still being detained and
could be jailed for years. U.S. government officials have made a few comments
criticizing the war, but Indonesia is too important an ally in its "war on
terrorism" for it to use its muscle to stop the war in Acheh. Supporters of
human rights are concentrating on trying to get Congress to prevent the full
restoration of military aid to Indonesia. You can protest the war to the Indonesian embassy, the
U.S. State Department and Congress (202-224-3121), join support work aimed at
educating Americans and Indonesians about Acheh and establishing
people-to-people solidarity, and make financial contributions. For
information, contact Acheh Center c/o Zainal, PO Box 6356, Harrisburg, PA 17112
or at achehcenter@yahoo.com, or this
newspaper. --Anne Jaclard |
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