10 Aug 2004

Indonesia accused of human rights abuses in Papua

7:38 am on 10 August 2004

Indonesia's human rights watchdog has blamed the military and police for a string of bloody human rights abuses in the separatist province of Papua.

After a seven-month investigation, a 15-member team from the National Commission of Human Rights found the security forces had committed of gross abuses in the towns of Wamena and Wasior.

But Australian Associated Press says the watchdog has refused to release details, saying it would discuss the matter internally and with Indonesia's Attorney General's Office before its report is released.

The probe began in January, following reports the army killed seven people and tortured a further 48 in Wamena between April and June last year.

Last week, it was revealed three Indonesian soldiers and a police officer had won appeals against sentences for gross human rights abuses in East Timor, thereby clearing all Indonesian personnel for the 1999 military-backed militia rampage which left around 1,600 people dead.