US and UK women tortured and imprisoned by Indonesian allies

national | miscellaneous | news report

Monday December 30, 2002 21:43

by Phuq Hedd

Graunaid kowtows to Indonesian allies in 'War on Terror'

Human rights researcher and health care activist tortured by Indonesia. UK and US sit on hands. "Liberal" newspapers suppress information in the story. Mail the editors of the Grauniad to express your scorn at their framing of the story. Listen to the real story at Democracy Now!

Sadler (a US citizen and health-care worker) and McCulloch (UK citizen and Indonesian Studies professor) "violated" their tourist visas by visiting the Aceh area of Indonesia which is seeking independence but unfortunately is oil rich. The rebel group, Free Aceh Movement is involved in armed conflict with the Indonesian occupiers. Sadler/McCulloch were imprisoned for months in pretty bad conditions despite the fact that Sadler is HIV positive. Their trial was definitely non-speedy and they have just been sentenced to 5 months, meaning they'll be released in January. Both are now on hunger strike. This story is written in the Guardian link (above) in a very "objective" manner which manages to miss out all sorts of context including the accusations of torture (especially sexual) that the women made. A much more informative interview was made with Amy Goodman on the incredible US radio show "Democracy NOW!" which also featured US diplomats and one of the women speaking by cellphone. The Grauniad seems to be getting more and more complicit in soft-pedalling stories to suit the Blairocracy. To hear the full story click on the third entry in the link below (it's realplayer format)
http://www.webactive.com/pacifica/demnow/dn20021108.html

Comments (2 of 2)

Nothing New

by Derek

Mon Dec 30, 2002 22:37

The content of the above post is appalling, but what's new? the government in Canberra attempted to cover up the murder of Australian journalists by Suharto's "army" during the invasion of East Timor.

New?

Tue Dec 31, 2002 18:20

Well, one of the interesting things is that the current regime in Indonesia is supposed to be the new and improved, reformed and democratic face of Indonesia. One of the tragic aspects of the story are the descriptions in the related linked articles at the bottom of the Grauniad piece in which the women recount helping victims of torture and how some of the guards bring them artificial flowers but don't have paper to make copies of their statements.