Bougainville uppdate 14/7/96
Robert Malecki
Title -- Military intimidation restricts human rights violation check
Date -- 13 July 1996
Byline -- Veronica Hatutasi
Origin -- Niuswire
Source -- The Independent (PNG), 12 July 1996
Copyright -- The Independent
Status -- Unabridged
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MILITARY INTIMIDATION RESTRICTS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION CHECK
Amnesty International claims cases not properly investigated
By Veronica Hatutasi
Worldwide human rights monitor organisation Amnesty International has
expressed concern at the continuing human rights violation incidences
incurred by warring parties on Bougainville.
And it has called on the PNG government to ensure greater oppenness
forhuman rights monitoring on Bougainville, falkling in line with
commitmentsmade publicly by the government both at domestic and
international levels.
These views were expressed by Kerry Brogan, AI's representative for
theAsia-Pacific regon whose focus is centred on human rights issues in
PapuaNew Guinea, Indonesia and East Timor.
Ms Brogan and a colleague have just completed a month-long research
missionin relation to human rights issues in PNG. While in Port
Moresby, their workcentred on police and military brutalities
inflicted on the civilianpopulation in the city and around the
country.
The latter part of the mission was spent on Bougainville with the pair
confined to research work on Buka Island from June 15-25. Access to
mainland Bougainville was hampered due to the tense situation and
restrictionscurrently imposed on travel into mainland Bougainville
with the progress ofthe heavymilitary operations in central and south
Bougainville.
This was the first lengthy mission to the country and Ms Brogan said
herteam was fortunate to have been given access to Bougainville for
the firsttime. Most of their findings were confined in instances of
human rightsviolations on Buka Island. However, they also they also
collected data on mainland
Bougainville.
Reports of their preliminary findings will be compiled and presented
to the PNG government prior to publishing, Ms Brogan said.
Ms Brogan said the team felt restricted in conducting their research
on Bougainville and this was also compounded by reluctance from many
individuals to come out with information on human rights violations
committed to them, family members or friends for fear of reprisals
were both the military and the
BRA.
However, they recorded instances of killings and disappearances that
have and are occurring in Buka, arbitrary detentions of civilians on
Bougainville by the military and undue beatings and harassment by same
for minor offences committedsuch as breaking curfew hours, home brew
consumers and improper movement passes. Human rights abuses and
atrocities committed by the BRA were also recorded.
Ms Brogan said many people in Buka have stressed the need for human
rights monitors on Bougainville in the face of many instances of undue
and unwarranted inhuman treatment to civilians by warring parties on
the island.
She said several killings, one disappearance and instances of police
shootings were related by family members and relatives of victims.
Instances of arbitrary detainees, including the case of two prominent
Bougainvilleans + former Bougainville administrator and MP Sam Tulo
and the provincial peace coordinator, James Togel - by members of the
security and police forces in April this year [were also
investigated].
While AI is aware of the atrocities committed by both the BRA and the
combined security and resistance members, Ms Brogan said the level of
military intimidation and surveillance restricted human rights
monitoring on
Bougainville by her organisation and other such concerned groups.
She also said that one of the major concerns of AI is the fact that
none of the human rights violation cases committed by members of the
security and resistance forces have not been adequately investigated
internally by the military and the courts.
These included killings, arbitrary and extrajudicial torture and
harassment by the combined resistance and security force members to
the Bougainville populace.
These, she said, were specifically instances where the said members
faced possible criminal charges. Ms Brogan says reports on these are
yet to come from the PNG government.
The BRA have also committed atrocities and unlawful executions and
detentions to the Bougainville civilian population. Instances, of
these were obtained from victims, Ms Brogan said.
She also stated that AI stands on neutral grounds in relation to the
Bougainville conflict and other conflicts occuring world-wide.
However, it has made its position clear and that is outright
condemnation of actions done to the Bougainville populace by warring
parties on the island.
In this light, Ms Brogan said abuses, atrocities and killings incurred
by the BRA does not go to justify the same acts committed by the
military and vice-versa.
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