Mon, 31 Jan 2005

Acheh Support Group

Picket near Indonesian Embassy Monday 31st 5-6pm Meet in Upland Road

The Boxing Day Tsunami of 2005 intensified and compounded the problems of the people of Acheh.

Martial law was declared in the province of Acheh in May 2003 to crush the independence movement GAM (Free Acheh Movement). Civilian Achehnese have suffered torture, rape and murder at the hands of the TNI (Indonesian army). This is a continuing pattern of vicious abuse dating back over 50 years.

Despite the global interest in helping the survivors of the tsunami and the declaration of a ceasefire by the Free Acheh Movement, the Indonesian military has been implicated in stealing from survivors, hoarding aid or selling it to refugees, while continuing to murder and torture civilians believed to know rebel members. Access for aid agencies, media, and volunteers has been largely restricted to Banda Aceh and Meulaboh.

We are here to raise these issues with the Indonesian government:

- We demand that they and their military respect the ceasefire; - Release the civilian, Free Acheh Movement peace negotiators and resume negotiations; - Allow freedom of movement for media, aid agencies, and all volunteers;

'The People of Acheh have the same right as the People of East Timor to determine their own future free of oppression'

ENDS

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