 
PRESS RELEASE
Canadian Coalition Demands Demilitarization
of Aid in Aceh, as Indonesian Military Continues Attacks
06 January 2005
For Immediate Release
(Montreal) – An ad hoc coalition of major Canadian civil
society and aid organizations is demanding that the Indonesian government
immediately cease all non-aid related military operations in Aceh
in the aftermath of the tsunami disaster. The organizations condemn
the Indonesian military’s failure to adhere to a ceasefire
in Aceh province and its role in hindering the delivery of emergency
aid.
The coalition includes KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives,
Rights and Democracy, Alternatives and other groups working on human
rights and development issues in Indonesia. The demand came on the
eve of today’s major summit in Jakarta where senior government
officials of donor and tsunami affected countries are discussing
relief efforts.
In a letter sent yesterday to the federal ministers responsible
for Canada’s response to the tsunami disaster, the coalition
asserts that the Indonesian army's leading role in delivering aid
is compromising the welfare of the Acehnese people.
“It is completely unacceptable that the military is engaged
in launching attacks against the civilian population and delivering
relief aid at the same time,” says Nancy Slamet, Coordinator
of KAIROS’ International Human Rights Program in Asia who
recently traveled to Sumatra.
Despite assurances by Indonesian military chief General Endriartono
Sutarto of a ceasefire in Aceh province, the military headquarters
general information department has announced the army will continue
to launch raids into suspected rebel areas as part of its on-going
“security” operations.
“This prevents many tsunami victims from receiving help because
they are afraid of being suspected as separatists,” says Alex
Hill, Indonesia Program Officer for Alternatives. “Moreover,
the Indonesian military is afraid to allow international aid organizations
and journalists free access to the region because the military has
been engaged in a dirty war there for many years”.
From May 2003 until the tsunami disaster, Indonesia prohibited
international journalists and aid organizations from having any
access to Aceh.
The coalition is also calling on the Canadian government to:
- press Indonesian authorities to allow unrestricted access to
the entire province by international and Indonesian civil society
organizations and journalists;
- deliver all Canadian government aid as directly as possible
to the affected population, with a priority to civil society organizations;
and
- demand the demilitarization of Aceh, under a negotiated peace
agreement.
The coalition also includes the Canadian Catholic Organization
for Development and Peace; Pacific People’s Partnership; Canadians
Concerned About Ethnic Violence in Indonesia (CCEVI); West Papua
Action Network (WESPAN); Canadian Action for Indonesia and East
Timor; Green Lotus International and Mining Watch Canada.
For more information or to arrange interviews, contact:
Adiat Junaid, Communications Coordinator
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
Telephone: (416) 463 5312, ext. 223 E-mail:
ajunaid
www.kairoscanada.org
Louis Moubarak or Steve Smith
Rights and Democracy/Droits et démocratie
Montreal, Quebec
Tel: (514) 283 6073
Email: lmoubarak@dd-rd.ca or
ssmith
www.dd-rd.ca
See also
 Top
of page
|
