Nani Farida, Langsa, East Aceh – The Human Rights Forum (PB HAM) deplored on Monday the continued violence against civilians, especially teachers, in war-ravaged Aceh on the eve of the Indonesia-Free Aceh Movement (GAM) peace talks scheduled for October 31, 2002.
Mohammad Jusuf Puteh alias Neksuh, coordinator of PB HAM, told The Jakarta Post here on Monday that he had continued to receive reports of wanton violence against civilians without any investigations or explanations, from authorities.
He said he had just received a report of two civilians who disappeared over the weekend and so far, security authorities had given no explanation. Ridwan, a 25-year-old resident of Alue Lhouk in Peureulak Timur, in East Aceh, disappeared after visiting relatives in Kuala Simpang, Aceh Tamiang, on October 24, 2002. Ahmad, 66, a resident of Peureulak was abducted by gunmen as he was sitting on the verandah of his own home.
Neksuh said his organization had received hundreds of reports of abductions, disappearances and murders, as well as the discovery of hundreds of bodies in the last ten months.
Another shocking recent report was about a man named Sulaiman, a resident of Baroh village in Langsa, who was murdered in front of his children on October 25, 2002 when he was working in his field. The gunmen fled.
Sulaiman's body was recovered the following day after his family reported the incident to PB HAM.
Relatives of teachers who were abducted or killed by gunmen in East Aceh also expressed their disappointment with the administration for allowing the perpetrators to act with impunity in the regency.
Irwati Usman, 40, said her brother Irjani Usman, 29, was abducted on Sept. 9, 2002, and so far, the administration had paid no attention to the incident.
"We don't know whether he is still alive or not and he has three children. If he has been murdered, we want to see his grave. The horrible thing is that the local authorities have been totally silent about his disappearance," she said.
Irwati said her brother was abducted as he was returning home from his school where he was a teacher in Langsa.
"According to eyewitnesses, he (Irjani) was abducted by two gunmen riding a motorcycle. And now he is gone...," said Irwati, also a school teacher in Langsa.
Neksuh called on the conflicting sides to stop targeting civilians because they knew nothing about the prolonged conflict.
"Both sides should stop the violence ahead of the planned peace talks to help create peace in the province. Most people are sick and tired of this war that has claimed thousands of lives," he said.
He admitted that more than 50 teachers had this year been confirmed murdered. Both the military and GAM deny responsibility. In GAM strongholds, such as parts of East Aceh, school curricula is often tailored to include a local view of history and other subjects.
Nearly all of the civilian victims have been ethnic Acehnese as a large percentage of the huge numbers of Javanese transmigrants have fled the province in fear of GAM attacks. GAM had reportedly targeted the Javanese, but rarely harms local people unless they are found to be informants.