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Human
Rights Groups Protest Indonesia’s War
in
Aceh Throughout World, Demand an End to Human Rights Abuses
by
The East Timor Action Network and
The
Indonesian Human Rights Campaign
Dissident Voice
May
20, 2003
Protestors
around the world are gathering at Indonesia’s diplomatic offices this week to
oppose the launch of a massive military campaign in Aceh. In Indonesia’s
biggest military operation since the invasion of East Timor in 1975, an
estimated 45,000 troops are now in Aceh, on the northern-tip of the island of
Sumatra.
Top
ranking Indonesian military (TNI) officials have boasted that they will “crush”
the rebel Free Aceh Movement in six months. But the civilian population will be
the hardest hit. The Indonesian government estimates that the number of
refugees in Aceh will grow to 100,000 from the current 5,000. More than 12,000
people have been killed in the almost 27-year old conflict.
In
the United States, rights groups will demonstrate at the Indonesian Embassy in
Washington on Wednesday in an event sponsored by Amnesty International USA, the
East Timor Action Network, and the Indonesia Human Rights Network (IHRN). On
Friday, demonstrators will gather in New York at Indonesia’s Permanent Mission
office to the United Nations and the UN.
“Indonesia
cannot keep Aceh by destroying it,” said Kurt Biddle, Coordinator of the
Indonesia Human Rights Network. “This war will only kill more civilians and
strengthen the Acehnese resolve to be independent. Human rights will be the
main casualty of this war.”
Indonesia
is currently using U.S.-supplied weaponry and combat aircraft in their war in
Aceh. On Monday C-130 Hercules transport planes dropped hundreds of TNI
paratroopers into Aceh and counter-insurgency aircraft, OV-10 Broncos, were
used to fire rockets into villages outside of the capital city of Banda Aceh.
Last
December, the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) concluded
a landmark accord on the Cessation of Hostilities (COHA), which was
enthusiastically welcomed by the Acehnese people and led to a dramatic decrease
in the number of casualties. The Indonesian foreign minister has declared the
COHA defunct.
In
response to these most recent attacks, the Indonesia Human Rights Network has
renewed its calls to maintain the cut off of U.S. arms sales to Indonesia and
restore the ban on military training to that country.
Fueled
by Jakarta’s broken promises and brutal repression by the TNI and Indonesian
police, the Acehnese have been fighting for independence since 1976. During
Indonesia’s national revolution in 1945, Aceh was promised autonomy for its
role in fighting the Dutch colonists during Indonesia’s independence struggle
in 1945. But Jakarta never fulfilled that pledge. Rich in natural gas and other
resources, most of Aceh’s wealth flows to multinational corporations and Jakarta
without benefiting the local people.
The
Indonesian government fears that resource-rich Aceh will go the way of East
Timor, which voted overwhelmingly for independence in an UN-sponsored
referendum in 1999 and celebrates one year of independence today.
The Indonesia
Human Rights Network (IHRN) is a U.S.-based grassroot organization working to
educate and activate the American public and influence U.S. foreign policy and
international economic interests to support democracy, demilitarization, and
justice through accountability and rule of law in Indonesia. We seek to end
armed forces repression in Indonesia by exposing it to international scrutiny.
IHRN works with and advocates on behalf of people throughout the Indonesian
archipelago to strengthen civil society. For more information, see the
Indonesia Human Rights Network website, www.indonesianetwork.org
The East Timor
Action Network/U.S. (ETAN) supports human dignity for the people of East Timor
by advocating for democracy, sustainable development, social, legal, and
economic justice and human rights, including women's rights. ETAN, which has 28
local chapters throughout the U.S., calls for an international tribunal to
prosecute crimes against humanity that took place in East Timor since 1975. For
additional information see ETAN's web site
Locations
for demonstrations in the U.S.
Washington, DC
Wednesday,
May 21
12:30
- 1:20 pm
Indonesian
Embassy
2020
Massachusetts Ave., NW
New York City
Friday,
May 23
10:30am
- Noon: Outside the Permanent Mission of Indonesia to United Nations
325
East 38th Street (between 1st and 2nd Ave)
Noon
-1:30 pm: Outside the United Nations, 1st Ave between 42nd and 43rd
St.
Kurt
Biddle
Coordinator,
Indonesia Human Rights Network
P.O.
Box 2162
Berkeley,
CA 94702-0162
USA
(510)
559-7762 phone
(561)
760-0456 eFax