---------------------------------------------------------- FREE for JOIN Indonesia Daily News Online via EMAIL: go to: http://www.indo-news.com/subscribe.html - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - Dengan mengClick banner sponsor anda menyumbang Rp. 1000,- untuk HomePage IndoNews. ---------------------------------------------------------- From: International Forum for Aceh This is information received from Aceh On 2 February 1999, at around 20.00, a riot took place in IDI, East Aceh. A number of people died in this incident and several people were injured with gunshot wounds. Some are seriously injured and are being treated in Lhokseumawe military health centre. IDI is about plus/minus 90 Km from Lhokseumawe and is near the main road between Medan and Lhokseumawe. More information to follow ------------------------------------ IFA (Aceh) - ABRI Show-Trial Note - it is clear that the trial is a sham, not least because the soldiers should have been charged with murder, since medical evidence clearly demonstrates that the deaths were as a result of the violent beatings by the soldiers. The soldiers have thus far only been charged with assault. Medical evidence has proven that the four who died did so as a direct Result of the injuries sustained by the attack by the soldiers. Witnesses also state that over 100 soldiers took part in the attack, and that all were involved in the beatings. Serjeant P Lubis, 45, the fifth witness called to the court martial at Banda Aceh on Wednesday 27/1 said that he saw at least 100 members of the armed forces attack and viciously beat the civilian detainees held at the KNPI building in Lhokseumawe on 9.1.99. The witness, who is a member of 011/Lilawangsa regional command, said in his statement to the judge, Lieutenant Colonel PJ Piter SH that the all the soldiers attacked and beat the detainees. "I myself was afraid to see them torturing the civilian detainees," he explained. The trial was heavily guarded. The defendants, represented by Captain J Silaban SH, appeared calm and wore full military uniform. The four soldiers accused of torturing the civilian detainess who were being held by the Wibawa 99 team are private Am, 29, private MH, 31, privateMS, 26 and private Eff, 35. According to P Lubis, the soldiers attacked the KNPI building to force their way in at around 11.30 and the event lasted until about 19.00. They hit the detainees with electric cable, their belts, beaten and kicked. As a result of the beatings received, of the 38 detainees, four died, being Saifuddin, 30, Murthala, 20, Hamzah Muhammad, 30 and Herman Zain, 30. Tens of other were saved after receiving treatment from the General Hospital in Lhokseumawe. Blood-Soaked Clothes Military Auditor, Lieutenant Colonel Aris Sudjawardi, SH, brought evidence to the court which included a t-shirt of one of the victims which was soaked in blood, together with written testimony from a doctor from the hospital as an expert witness. The letter, signed by Dr SA Lubis, and read by Lieutenant Colonel Aris Sudajwardi, stated that four of the civilians who died were tortured by the soldiers and that their bodies were covered in serious wounds. Appart from sustaining these wounds, the bodies were also covered in bruises which were also due to beatings with heavy instruments. Their eyes and lips were also slashed (ripped). Two of the victims still receiving treatment in the hospital are Abdul Rahman, 40, and Usman, 25, both of whom are residents of North Aceh. Their bodies also show evidence of being beaten with heavy instruments. The trial of the four soldiers will continue until the morning of 29.1.99 when the verdict will be read. Show Trial Student activists and NGO members believe that the trial is merely a show trial set up by Wiranto in order to gain sympathy from the people, by making it look as if the military is serious about punishing soldiers who have done wrong. According to a resident of Kuta Alam Banda Aceh, Bayu Najib should be jailed for a minimum of 20 years, although the reality is only 4 years. So, of each person who died, the auditor only valued them one year, he said bitterly. -------------------------------- >From Waspada Online Saturday 30 January 1999 Hundreds of Women Widowed By DOM Threaten to Boycott the Elections Sigli: Hundreds of women widowed by DOM in Pidie have threatened to boycott the General Elections which are scheduled for June 1999. The threat will be carried out if the government does not see that justice is done by making those accountable for 'butchering' their husbands, a number of widows told Waspada on Friday 29/1. "We are not satisfied with what the government has done thus far which has been to allow those who have violated human rights to live peacefully and without facing the courts. Those who have butchered the people of Aceh, by whom we mean our husbands and children who have not committed any wrong throughout DOM," said Erlina. "The most important issue is where is legal remedy in respect of those who killed our husbands and children," said Erlina, from Mutiara sub-district. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 5 Feb 1999 jam 03:17:51 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
