National

Indonesian Ministry of Defense Challenges Human Rights Watch
Thursday, 30 September, 2004 | 16:23 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Maj. Gen. Sudrajat, Director-General of Defense Strategy at the Indonesian Ministry of Defense, said on Tuesday (28/09) that he challenged the international human rights organization, Human Rights Watch, to provide proof regarding apparent torture committed by Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police personnel on Free Aceh Movement (GAM)detainees.

“Such accusations are baseless. If there is proof of such torture, the Indonesian ministry of defense will take stern measures against personnel who have allegedly tortured GAM prisoners. The government has set ethics for the troops in watching over the prisoners. I demand that the Human Rights Watch provide real proof as regards any torture,” stated Sudrajat.

The Human Rights Watch has previously accused the TNI and the police of having tortured GAM prisoners, after having interviewed several GAM prisoners.

“The Human Rights Watch must also reveal the names of GAM prisoners interviewed by them, as well as the place and the time of the interviews. If they give one-sided information, the Ministry of Defense will not be able to confirm the statement,” said Sudrajat.

He also denied that the TNI had conducted torture as the TNI was only assigned to help arrest GAM members and hand them over to the police. (Sunariah - Tempo News Room)