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Women, Peace and Security Initiatives: Aceh
In-country | International

In-country

Human Rights Activists Detained
February 24, 2004
Six political activists are at grave risk of torture and ill-treatment after they were detained by police in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Province (NAD). At least five of them are human rights defenders, who are believed to have been arrested solely for their peaceful expression of their political beliefs, and their work in defense of human rights. Click Here for more information on this case and a history of the current conflict. Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in English, Bahasa Indonesia or your own language, expressing concern for the safety of those named above, and urging the authorities to immediately say where they are; expressing concern about reports that Harlina and Syafruddin have been beaten, and calling upon the authorities to provide guarantees that none of those detained will be tortured or ill-treated; urging the authorities to release all seven immediately and unconditionally, unless they are to be charged with a recognizable criminal offense; calling on the authorities to ensure that all members of the police and military are made aware of the legitimate role of human rights defenders, and their responsibility to protect human rights defenders under the UN Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of individuals and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Click Here for contact information and address for appeals or visit the Amnesty International campaign site.

International

Co-Sponsors needed to support Peace and Human Rights in Aceh
November, 2003
ETAN urges individuals to call their member of the House of Representatives today and urge him/her to support H.Con.Res. 327 calling for a ceasefire and halt hostilities in Aceh, an end to human rights violations, and return to negotiations with significant Acehnese civil society and international involvement. To co-sponsor, members of the House of Representative should contact Gregg Sheiowitz. If you don't know who your representative is go to http://www.house.gov. For the full text of the co-sponsorship letter Click Here. For the full text of the Resolution Click Here. Please note the group of initial sponsors is bi-partisan with Reps. Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Lane Evans (D-IL) and Phil English (R-PA). For more information, questions or to report responses contact John M. Miller.

Stop British Support for War in Aceh
July, 2003
TAPOL-The Indonesia Human Rights Campaign calls individuals world-wide to write to their representatives urging them to protest to the Foreign Secretary about the use of British equipment in Aceh, and to demand the imposition of a military embargo against Indonesia. In 2002, the British Government authorised a twenty-fold increase in arms sales to the Indonesian military, TNI, which more than likely includes lethal equipment or spare parts for weaponry being used in Aceh. This military equipment is used by the Indonesian authorities despite its commitment to not use it offensively or for counter-insurgency purposes. Click Here for a sample letter. For more information visit TAPOL-The Indonesia Human Rights Campaign.

Call for Humanitarian Intervention in Aceh
May, 2003
TAPOL- The Indonesia Human Rights Campaign sent a letter to United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan on May 26, 2003 urging the international community, and the United Nations, to address the need for an International Humanitarian Intervention in Aceh. The appeal calls for the inmediate lifting of the Martial Law imposeed on May 19, 2003, which allows the Regional Martial Law Authority to control all means of communication, to shut down public and private facilities, to prohibit the distribution of goods within the territory of Martial Law, to carry out surveillance by land, sea and air, to prohibit all forms of information, and to detain persons for up to twenty days without charge, among other powers. To read the full text of the appeal Click Here. For more information visit TAPOL-The Indonesia Human Rights Campaign.

End war in Aceh Campaign
2003
Human Rights Watch has been consistently putting pressure on Indonesia and the nations that support it to halt human-rights abuses. The End War in Aceh Campaign calls the government of the United States to act on Aceh by pressing both President Habibie and General Wiranto for prosecutions of officers responsible for grave abuses during DOM (the period of military control), and by urging the Indonesian Government to reduce troop strength in Aceh. Such a reduction would be a huge confidence-building measure by the Indonesian Government toward the Acehnese. In addittion, the Acehnese population want a third party to mediate the conflict but the government has rejected this since does not want to give legitimacy to Aceh Merdeka.For more information visit Human Rights Watch.