DATE=11/25/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=INDONESIA-WIRANTO (L-O)
NUMBER=2-256532
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=JAKARTA
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
INTRO: The former head of the Indonesian Armed Forces
has admitted some human rights abuses were committed
by Indonesian soldiers in Aceh province. As Patricia
Nunan reports from Jakarta, General Wiranto answered
questions before parliament (Thursday).
Text: Former Armed Forces chief General Wiranto has
denied allegations the Indonesian military
orchestrated violence in Aceh in order to justify a
crackdown against separatist rebels.
But the general acknowledged that some Indonesian
soldiers had committed human rights abuses in the
province.
It was the first time members of Indonesia's powerful
military had been called before parliament to account
for their actions. Two other senior officers are
expected to face questioning Saturday.
A special parliamentary committee to investigate
alleged human rights abuses in Aceh was formed as part
of the government's efforts to quell separatist unrest
in the province.
Human rights groups say at least two-thousand people
were killed in Aceh in the 10-years the province was
designated a "military operations zone". The zone was
declared as part of a mission to crush rebels from the
guerrilla "Free Aceh Movement."
General Wiranto said the military had records of 151-
cases of human rights abuses committed in Aceh by
soldiers. But the general said many of the violations
could have been committed before he held both the
positions of Minister of Defense and Head of the Armed
Forces.
General Wiranto also said the violations could have
been committed by soldiers without the knowledge of
their commanders.
/// ACT SOUND OF DEMO ///
Hours earlier, about 25-hundred Achenese protesters
gathered at parliament to call for an independence
referendum in Aceh. Calls for the referendum have
been fueled by the Indonesian government's recent
decision to grant independence to East Timor, after
the people there voted for the territory to break
away.
Many Indonesian government officials are against the
idea of holding a ballot in Aceh, fearing it could
lead to the disintegration of Indonesia. (SIGNED)
NEB/PN/LTD/RAE
25-Nov-1999 08:01 AM EDT (25-Nov-1999 1301 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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