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East Timor ACTION Network ALERTAmerican Nurse and British Academic Jailed in IndonesiaHIV-Positive Woman¹s Health is Rapidly DeterioratingJoy Lee Sadler and her colleague Lesley McCulloch have been in Indonesian jails in the strife torn region of Aceh for over 50 days in detention and there is no sign of release. Sadler, an American citizen, and McCulloch, a British citizen, were arrested on September 10 and have faced beatings, threats, interrogation sessions until the early morning hours, sexual assault and other mistreatment. Their Acehnese interpreter, Fitrah binti Amin, was also arrested, but has since been released. Sadler¹s health is quickly failing due to her HIV-related condition. They have been charged with violating the terms of their visas, which normally results in the deportation of foreigners. Academics, businessmen and others routinely travel to Indonesia on tourist visas an attend meetings, conduct interviews, research and make business deals. This is an attack on those who do not support Indonesia's war on Aceh. (see background below) TAKE ACTION: Send a LETTER or FAX today to Indonesian Ambassador! We must let the Indonesian government know that the world is watching. See sample letter below. Please use the following address if you wish to mail a letter: Ambassador Soemadi D. M. Brotodiningrat To Fax a letter the number is 202-775-5365. Also, we are trying to keep a tally of letters sent, so please drop us an email (kurt@indonesianetwork.org) or fax (561.760.0456) with a copy of the letter you send. Joy Lee Sadler and her colleague Lesley McCulloch have been in Indonesian jails in the strife torn region of Aceh for over 50 days in detention and there is no sign of release. Sadler, an American citizen, and McCulloch, a British citizen, were arrested on September 10 and have faced beatings, threats, interrogation sessions until the early morning hours, sexual assault and other mistreatment. Their Acehnese interpreter, Fitrah binti Amin, was also arrested, but has since been released. Sadler¹s health is quickly failing due to her HIV-related condition. They have been charged with violating the terms of their visas, which normally results in the deportation of foreigners. Academics, businessmen and others routinely travel to Indonesia on tourist visas an attend meetings, conduct interviews, research and make business deals. Joy Lee Sadler is a healthcare worker from Waterloo, Iowa who traveled to Aceh to treat the sick and injured in refugee camps. She had previously volunteered in East Timor with Dr. Dan Murphy at the Bairo Pite Clinic. Lesley McCulloch is an academic whose work has focused on Aceh. Until recently, she was a lecturer at the University of Tasmania in Australia. She has been an outspoken critic of rights abuses in Aceh and spoke at the opening conference of the Indonesia Human Rights Network (IHRN) in Washington, DC in February 2001 and serves on IHRN¹s Advisory Board. Sadler and McCulloch are being singled out because of Dr. McCulloch's criticism of the Indonesian security forces, particularly the brutal repression of the people of Aceh. This could very well be the start of a government initiative to exclude independent observers concerned with human rights and humanitarian conditions from conflict areas in Indonesia. Indonesian officials have said they want to make an example of the two for other foreigners. Aceh, on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra, has faced one of the longest wars in Asia. The people of the resource-rich region are struggling for referendum to decide whether to remain part of Indonesia. The Indonesian military has been particularly brutal in Aceh. In 1998, after the overthrow of Suharto, mass graves began to be uncovered. Over 1,000 people have been killed this year alone. An estimated 12,000 have been killed in the past decade. Please join our call for the immediate, unconditional release of Sadler and McCulloch and our demand that no repercussions come to Fitrah binti Amin. For more information please see http://www.indonesianetwork.org SAMPLE LETTER: [DATE] Ambassador Soemadi D. M. Brotodiningrat Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20036 Dear Ambassador Soemadi D. M. Brotodiningrat: I am writing to you regarding two foreigners detained in your country, Joy Lee Sadler a U.S. citizen and Lesley McCulloch a citizen of United Kingdom. Both women were arrested along with their Acehnese interpreter, Fitrah binti Amin, on September 10. Ms. Sadler is a healthcare worker from Iowa with experience treating people in conflict zones. I fear her detention is a matter of grave concern, because she is HIV positive and her health is rapidly deteriorating. Dr. McCulloch, an academic and respected observer of human rights in Aceh has written extensively about the strife torn region. She was recently a lecturer at the University of Tasmania in Australia. I am disturbed about allegations of mistreatment of McCulloch and Sadler during their detention, including sexual harassment. I fear that the case has become politicized because of Dr. McCulloch's past criticism of the Indonesian security forces in Aceh and that the two have been singled out for a trial, whereas most visitors to Indonesia charged with violating their tourist visas are just deported. I ask for the immediate and unconditional release Joy Lee Sadler and Lesley McCulloch and insist that no repercussions come to Fitrah binti Amin. Sincerely, Additional information can be found at IHRN website. 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