ASG: Free Acheh Now – Demonstration Against The Brutality Of The Indonesian Military
Photos by Cameron Burnell

Photo 1: Military checkpoint near Indonesian Embassy

There was a demonstration on the 19th of May against the brutal occupation of Acheh by the Indonesian army. A military checkpoint was set up in Kelburn near the Indonesian Embassy.

The local Achehnese community and about fifteen concerned activists held banners for a free Acheh and an end to the violence.

Photo 2: Young Achehnese Child

At 5:15PM the protest moved to outside the Indonesian Embassy in Glen Road where a member of the Achehnese community read out names of civilians who have disappeared or been murdered by the Indonesian Army since 1998. People then placed Achehnese flags on the outside of the Embassy, each flag representing a person who had died as a result of the conflict.

Photo 3: Niklin reads out the names of those who have been killed

"Most Achehnese people want a peaceful, independent, and democratic Acheh. We hope the people of New Zealand and the New Zealand government will want to cooperate with the international community to bring this about" said Bakhtiar Amin from the Achehnese Community.

Photo 4: Bakhtiar Amin flies the Achehnese flag outside the Embassy

"We hope the international community can pressure the Indonesian Government to return to the peace process, and work towards a referendum on independence for Acheh under the United Nations. It is important that this is done before more people die, and it is too late."

"The change from martial law in Acheh to a civil emergency is a cruel joke. There appears to be no real will to return to the peace talks that the Indonesian government rejected last year, or to remove the thousands of troops that have committed gross breaches of human rights, or to allow substantially more access to aid and human rights groups" said John Anderson, member of the Acheh Support Group

for more info phone 04 971 6695 or email asg (at) eclectic.org.nz

Photo 5: Flags are stuck to the Embassy door representing some of those who have been killed

ENDS

A good source of information on Acheh can be found here:

http://www.acheh-eye.org/

“The people of Acheh have the same right to determine their own future as the people of East Timor”

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