Jakarta, Indonesia, 21 December 2023 – Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR) congratulates the Aceh Truth and Reconciliation Commission (KKR Aceh) and all the people of Aceh on the launch of the Findings Report titled Peulara Damèe: Merawat Perdamaian (Caring for Peace) which was launched at the Plenary Session of the Aceh People’s Representative Council, 12 December 2023. AJAR welcomes the efforts to establish hope and justice for victims of crimes against humanity that occurred in Aceh from 1976 to 2005 through this report, as well as the work highlighting the slow-pace efforts to fulfil and protect human rights in Indonesia. The evidence discovered by the Aceh TRC is an important part of our collective journey to maintain peace and rectify history at the Veranda of Mecca.
AJAR Executive Director, Galuh Wandita, stated the importance of the report in building momentum to sow seeds for peace and establish the common truth. “The release of this findings report confirms the formal recognition that crimes against humanity have occurred and that there are victims of serious human rights violations in Aceh who are still waiting for justice. This momentum is an important foundation for efforts to fulfil the truth in Indonesia and conflict areas in Asia and across the world.”
AJAR, as a strategic partner of the Aceh TRC since 2013, together with various civil society organisations, participated in the long process throughout 2016-2021 of documenting 4,675 witness and victim statements out of a total of 5,195 statements collected from 2016-2021. Some of these statements were successfully documented through three testimonial hearings at the Banda Aceh Governor’s Hall (November 2018), North Aceh DPRK Building (July 2019) and Aceh DPR (November 2019). These statements were presented to the Government, Aceh Government, Aceh DPR, DPRK, Regency/City Government, academics, university students, embassy representatives, TNI-Polri, and civil society as well as experts. This method of participatory process ensures a just and dignified peace, in particular for conflict survivors, to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
In Peulara Damèe, the Commission concluded that there were violations of elements of international human rights law, including Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes during the conflict in Aceh between 1976-2005, which the Indonesian National Army carried out. Findings included violations of the law on the protection of civil society from the Geneva Conventions carried out by The Free Aceh Movement, as well as the involvement and accountability of international companies in this conflict. The 232-page report also provides an in-depth analysis of findings on specific forms of violence committed, namely torture, sexual violence, murder and forced disappearances that occurred throughout the armed conflict.
The chairman of the Aceh TRC, Masthur Yahya, expressed his hope for the launch of the findings report, as part of efforts to uncover the truth. “We hope that the victims of human rights violations in Aceh will understand that the stories they told to the Aceh TRC are very valuable for future generations. Aceh’s next generation must know what happened in the past. We, who are still alive, are responsible for bringing the truth to life, which had been buried by war and violence”.
The establishment of the Aceh TRC itself was a breakthrough, as the only formal truth commission in Indonesia and supported by civil society. It was born from the Peace Memorandum of Understanding (Helsinki Memorandum of Understanding 15 August 2005) between the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). The detail of the Helsinki MoU, about the Aceh TRC, was adopted by Law Number 11 of the 2006 Aceh Government (UU PA). Following prolonged advocacy from civil society, the Aceh TRC was finally formed at the end of October 2016 under Aceh Qanun Number 17 of 2013. To date, the First Period Commissioner has completed his duties until 2021, and the Second Period Commissioner will carry out the work mandated by the Aceh TRC until 2027.
AJAR urges the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Government of Aceh Province to immediately implement the recommendations from Peulara Damèe, through the following measures:
- Develop an official policy regarding reparations so that urgent and comprehensive fulfilment of reparations and restoration of victims’ rights can be implemented immediately, including developing an urgent reparations mechanism for victims of sexual violence who require special treatment;
- Conduct an inventory of sites of human rights violations and create official memorialisation on commemorative days as well as memorials and monuments with narratives of truth to commemorate historical events in Aceh;
- Integrate the findings of the Aceh TRC through a human rights curriculum and peace and knowledge about the Aceh conflict in formal and religious education to support intergenerational learning and peace education for youth. Furthermore, the findings of this truth should become an archive for further development in establishing a conscience site in Aceh and a human rights and peace museum as a form of learning at the Acehnese, National and Asia-Pacific regional level;
- Take legal action against parties who have committed serious violations of international human rights law by establishing an ad hoc human rights court, including immediate follow-up on pro justitia investigations into four cases that have been investigated by Komnas HAM (the Rumoh Geudong, Jambo Keupok, Simpang KKA and Timang Gajah cases).
AJAR also calls on the international community to acknowledge and appreciate the work of the Aceh TRC and the people of Aceh for the launch of this findings report. It is with utmost hope that this report will encourage and contribute to the fulfilment of justice for victims of human rights violations in Indonesia and across the Asia-Pacific region.
Further information: Manajer Program AJAR Indonesia: Mulki Makmun | mmakmun@asia-ajar.org
Versi Bahasa Indonesia dapat diakses di: https://asia-ajar.org/id/press-release/indonesia-laporan-temuan-kkr-aceh-peulara-damee-mengungkap-kebenaran-dan-mengakui-kejahatan-kemanusiaan/