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DATE=5/17/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=INDONESIA / ACEH (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-262449
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  An Indonesian court has found 24 soldiers and 
one civilian guilty of massacring 57 people in the 
restive northern province, Aceh, last July.  As 
Patricia Nunan reports from Jakarta, the verdict marks 
the end of a landmark human rights case intended, in 
part, to quell Aceh's push for independence. 
TEXT: The 24 members of the Indonesian armed forces 
and one civilian convicted of carrying out the 
massacre have been sentenced to between eight and 10 
years in prison. But the defendants will be spared the 
death penalty.
In a slight twist in the case, prosecutors dropped 
their demand for death sentences on the grounds that 
the soldiers were only following orders from their 
commanders when they fired upon 57 civilians.
/// OPT /// However, the argument mounted by the 
defense - that the case should be thrown out entirely 
because the soldiers were merely following orders - 
was rejected by the tribunal, made up of both civilian 
and military officials. /// END OPT ///
The commander accused of ordering the soldiers to open 
fire is missing. 
The case is seen as a test for the government of 
Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid, who has 
pledged to bring an end to separatist unrest in Aceh. 
It is the first time soldiers have been tried for 
human rights abuses outside of a military court.
Analysts say Aceh's push for independence, which began 
in the 1970's, has been fueled in recent years by the 
oppressive tactics used by the Indonesian military to 
crush separatists from the Free Aceh Movement.  
Human rights officials say thousands of people died in 
a 10-year mission launched by the military to wipe out 
the guerilla group. 
/// OPT /// The so-called Bantaqiah case attracted 
national and international attention.  Soldiers were 
accused of killing 57 people when they opened fired on 
an Islamic boarding school last July. Teungku 
Bantaqiah, a local teacher was among those killed. /// 
END OPT ///
The verdict comes after the Indonesian government 
signed an agreement with representatives of the Free 
Aceh Movement in Geneva, calling for a three-month 
cessation of hostilities. (signed)
NEB/HK/PN/GC/JO
17-May-2000 02:49 AM EDT (17-May-2000 0649 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.