INDONESIA: Investigation of police killings in Aceh must be conducted

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) March 9, 2010 -- The AHRC is deeply concerned about violence against civilians during anti-terrorist operations in Aceh. On February 23, a civilian was killed and another severely injured while the police arrested four alleged terrorists. During another crackdown on March 3, a suspect was shot dead. This raises the issue of strong police and military presence in Aceh province and abuses committed by the authorities with impunity in the name of counterterrorism.

The killing of a civilian at the end of February was widely relayed by the press and NGOs. Kamaruddin, 37, was fishing with his son Suheri, 14, at the Krueng Lintang River, Jantho, Aceh Besar Regency, when the police were deployed to arrest four alleged members of regional terror group Jemaah Islamiyah. According to Aceh Police Chief Insp. Gen. Aditya Warman who spoke at a news conference in Banda Aceh on Tuesday, the police opened fire on the two Jantho residents after Kamaruddin, who was carrying an air rifle, resisted an order to surrender. The father was shot dead and his son suffered gunshot wounds in the left leg. Apparently, the two victims had been mistaken for paramilitary trainees.

The police acknowledged what it called an "accident" and offered an apology and its condolences over the incident.

It must be underlined that the shootings happened in the context of anti-terrorist operations in Aceh province. The four arrested suspects – Ismet Hakiki, Zakky Rahmatullah, Yudhi Zulfahri and Masykur Rahmat – are alleged members of Islamic terror group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). "More than 100 officers from the Aceh Police and Brimob (Mobile Brigade) have been deployed to hunt down about 50 members of an armed group linked with JI in the Jalin Jantho area," Warman said. They were deployed after police intelligence uncovered a paramilitary training camp in the area.

Aside from the gravity of the act – the killing of an innocent civilian and the injury of a young boy – the AHRC condemns the lack of responsibility from the police. An acknowledgement and public apology are not sufficient reparations. A proper investigation should be launched and the perpetrators should be prosecuted and fairly punished. The fact that the incident took place during an anti-terror operation should not undermine its gravity. The fight against terrorism must not be used as an excuse to undermine the rule of law and provide impunity for police officers.

Please view the full statement here: http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2010statements/2465/