Indonesia Human Rights Committee Presses For Release Of Foreigners In Aceh
Australian journalist and academic, Lesley McCulloch and American nurse Joy-Lee Sadler have been held by the police in
Aceh since September 10. Lesley is internationally regarded as an expert on the conflict in Aceh. IHRC has lobbied the
New Zealand government to pressure Indonesia to help secure their release, and to allow entry into Aceh of an
international human rights delegation. IHRC is fundraising to help provide first rate Indonesian legal assistance to the
pair.
On September 18, the Acehnese police in the capital, Banda Aceh, announced that they had charged the two women under
Article 40 of the immigration law, for allegedly abusing their visa conditions. The maximum penalty is five years jail
or a fine of 25 million Rupiah.
" The war in Aceh is little known in Australia and New Zealand. There are recent reports of military actions in South
Aceh, and of looting and food and medical supplies blockades which have forced villagers to flee. Is this the story that
the police did not want Lesley McCulloch to write?, " said Maire Leadbeater speaking for the Indonesia Human Rights
Committee.
"Having been detained by Indonesian police and immigration officials myself in Jakarta in 2001 for alleged visa
violations which had no basis. I have extra reasons to be sceptical about the charges."
"Human rights advocates in Aceh and around the world have been very worried as police officials have made it clear that
they want to make an example of the two foreigners. In the brief communications they have been permitted, both have
described abuse, threats and intimidation by the police. They were initially denied contact with their embassies."
"A few days after the women were charged, two prominent leaders of the Aceh civil rights movement were abducted by the
military. This followed a mass public prayer meeting which called for a ceasefire between government troops and GAM (The
Free Aceh Movement). The government of Megawati Sukarnoputri takes a hard line against the self-determination movement
in Aceh, where she has some 60,000 troops and there are daily reports of killings and disappearances. Some 2000 people
died last year in the conflict, and the death toll this year is already around 1000. "
"New Zealand should pressure for Indonesia to allow in a human rights delegation, including representatives of Amnesty
International, without delay.