SCHRA - ACHEH INFORMATION CENTRE 
KUALA LUMPUR
15-04-2000

PEOPLE CRISIS CENTRE (PCC-ACHEH)'S PRESS RELEASE

The People Crisis Centre, an Achehnese NGO that has been very active in providing assistance to victims of the sanguine conflict in Acheh, has issued a press statement demanding the Indonesian authorities to pay more attention to the ever-worsening situation in Acheh, especially on the atrocities committed against the innocents.

It notes that not only government military and civilian officials that are bleeding the people but even the members of the legislative bodies have done the same. It says none of these organisms whose members are paid salaries by the people, have done anything to alleviate the sufferings of the ordinary Achehnese.

The Government, the statement notes, has failed to provide not only adequate security for the people but also simple health and educational facilities. It has failed to maintain reasonable economic requirements of the ordinary Achehnese.

It says, such failures will result in the future generations of Achehnese to be left behind and be assigned only passive roles in the activities of the nation and thus to remain as an oppressed and colonised people. "This can be clearly seen in the fact that there are too many children in Acheh, especially in conflict areas, who are no longer schooling. Mal-nutrition is visible in their appearance: potbellied and emaciated", stressed the statement.

The PCC-Acheh calls on the executive and legislative representatives of the people:

1.To give priority to improving the condition of the ordinary people in every program they plan and implement.
2.To pay more attention to the education of the children and the youth in formal education as well as in alternative educational infusions.
3.To provide daily supplementary nutritive facilities (milk and porridge) to all school children in Acheh.
4.To improve the educational facilities for the ordinary people in Acheh.

The statement was issued in Kutaradja (Banda Acheh) on April 14, 2000, signed by PCC-Acheh Coordinator, Mr. Juanda.