Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – An alliance of activists and human rights abuse victims in Aceh have completed a draft on the formation of a truth and reconciliation commission, which they plan to propose to the government.

They said Friday the draft would be made available to the public for suggestions. "It took us a year to complete the draft," said Asiah, chairwoman of the local chapter of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence.

The draft encourages the local government to make a qanun, or sharia bylaw, on a truth and reconciliation commission, as prescribed in the peace agreement signed by the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement in Helsinki, Finland, in 2005. The accord requires the commission to be formed by August.

The 2006 Aceh Governance Law also addresses issued related to the commission and an ad hoc human rights tribunal.

The alliance says that a commission is vital to bring to the surface human rights violations that occurred in Aceh over 30 years until 2005.

Victims and activists have demanded justice over human rights violations during the civil war for some time.

Jakarta has strongly rejected a retroactive human rights law. An estimated 15,000 people died in the course of the conflict between the military and the GAM separatists.

"Unlike the government's draft (on a truth and reconciliation commission), ours is better because the process involved the Achenese community, especially victims," Asiah said.

Representatives of various local non-governmental organizations and rights abuse victims presented the draft in a workshop Friday. The draft also deals with compensation for victims of state violence during the conflict, suggesting it be agreed upon by the government and the beneficiary.

The activists say they hope that the commission's members would have the power to propose whether alleged rights should be taken to the ad hoc court.

Rukaiyah, a rights abuse victim, said the commission should be able to reveal the truth about past abuses in Aceh. Muhammad Husain, 33, another victim, says he is still traumatized to speak of his mistreatment at the hands of the security forces.

"If and when I testify before the commission on what I experienced, would I get arrested?" he said.