7 Feb 2006

Indonesia admits some security force members abusing rights in Papua

9:14 am on 7 February 2006

Indonesia says some members of the police and military are committing human rights abuses in Papua.

The Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono says there's been incidents of some brutality and torture and rape involving some of their troops.

But Mr Sudarsono told reporters in Jakarta that there was a tendency to assume that abuse was part of a systematic policy.

Mr Sudarsono made the remarks in response to questions about 43 Papuans, who fled to Australia last month, accusing the Indonesian government of genocide against the people of Papua.