Unable
to contain the growing activities of the Free Acheh Movement (GAM),
which seeks self-determination and restoration of its ancient independence
from Indonesian colonialist regime, Jakarta has resorted to state
terrorism in Acheh: arresting, torturing and murdering unarmed civilians
of suspected sympathisers of GAM.
The current
phase of the reign of terror and intimidation has now been directed
towards not only ordinary civilians but also students who demand for
a referendum, as the only democratic and peaceful way to solve the
Acheh’s problem, and non-governmental organisations involving in human
rights activities.
The following
are the latest unlawful actions by the police against some particular
groups of Achehnese civilians: · On 2 January 2000, brigadier mobile
police ransacked and pillaged the headquarters of students organisation
in Banda Aceh, arresting dozens and seizing and destroying all equipment
they could find in the office. Those arrested were later on released
after being interrogated.
· On
3 January 2000, dozens of students from organization SMUR (Student
Solidarity for Achehnese People), who were commemorating the first
anniversary of the Pusong Tragedy in Banda Aceh, were harassed, intimidated
and beaten by the police. In the Pusong Tragedy in North Acheh last
year, 34 unarmed villagers were brutally massacred and dozens others
injured by Indonesian soldiers.
· On
4 January 2000, the Indonesian police in Sigli town, Pidie district,
arbitrarily arrested two prominent lawyers: Syarifuddin Ganie SH and
Nazaruddin SH. Both are actively involved in advocating human rights
and having helped defend political activists of GAM in courts.
With
these latest examples of police and military brutalities, it is obvious
that NGOs, human rights groups, students etc. are no longer safe from
arbitrary arrests, harassment and beatings. And this also clearly
shows that the military is trying to deter human rights activists
from investigating and reporting the on going violations of human
rights in Acheh.
GAM headquarters
in Europe strongly and unreservedly condemns the arbitrary arrests
of the two lawyers and students whose activities are merely advocating
human rights issues and respectively struggling for a peaceful solution
to the unending conflict in Acheh.
At issue
in Acheh is the inalienable rights of self-determination of the Achehnese
people. Acheh was an internationally recognised sovereign state for
hundreds of years before the Dutch invaded it in 1873. But after World
War Two, Acheh was forced to become part of a newly fabricated Indonesia.
By international law and the UN body of principles Acheh should have
been restored to independence again similar to that of Holland after
German occupation.
Free
Acheh Movement in Europe
