Aceh deserves respect<\/p>\n
As time passes it is getting more and more difficult to
\ncomprehend the futile attempts of the government, as represented
\nby Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono, to settle the problems of restive Aceh
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
Unfolding events and conflicting statements during the last
\ntwo months clearly show the lack of a sound strategy and a sense
\nof direction toward finding a workable solution to the
\nmultidimensional problems of that troubled province.<\/p>\n
After the latest recurrence of intensified violence in the
\narea, Minister Susilo branded the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) early
\nlast month as terrorists, the first time the separatists had been
\nso labeled. This was followed by the statement \"enough is enough\"
\nand a suggestion regarding the imposition of a civil or military
\nstate of emergency in the province. He claimed the Acehnese
\npeople supported the new security approach.<\/p>\n
His visit to Aceh, from July 9 through July 13, however,
\nproved otherwise: The local Acehnese rejected the government's
\nplan to impose a state of emergency. Returning to Jakarta, Susilo
\nsaid that the rejection, as voiced by Acehnese councillors and
\nGovernor Abdullah Puteh, did not reflect the wishes of the
\nAcehnese people as a whole. His statement was immediately
\nfollowed by a demand from the local military commander to
\nincrease the number of troops deployed to Aceh.<\/p>\n
One month later, Susilo embarked on a second visit to the
\nprovince, explaining that the government wished to seek input
\nfrom the regions not covered during his earlier visit. This time
\nhis statement concerned a totally different subject: a proposal
\nto form a new province for three regions in central, southwest,
\nand west Aceh, separate from the rest of the current province
\nwhere most of the violence has been taking place. It is difficult
\nto avoid comparisons with the old colonial approach: divide et
\nimpera (divide and rule).<\/p>\n
Just a week before that visit, Anthony Zinni, a retired U.S.
\ngeneral and mediator from Swiss-based Henry Dunant Center,
\narrived in Aceh to help revive the stalled peace talks brokered
\nby the Center since 2000. Zinni suggested that the government
\npursue a dialog with GAM.<\/p>\n
Early this week the government announced what Susilo called a
\nrevised policy for Aceh. The government decided to step up its
\nmilitary pressure on the Aceh rebels, giving them until December
\nto accept the special autonomy offer, a prerequisite for future
\ndialog, or face the brunt of Indonesia's military's might. In
\nfact he said the military would do \"whatever it takes to ensure
\nthe unity of the state.\"<\/p>\n
It is not surprising that the revised policy has drawn sharp
\ncriticism from numerous figures, both in Aceh and in Jakarta.
\nFor starters, military pressure will not work, not only because
\nnobody believes it will apart from the military, but because our
\nown history has taught us so. A military approach proved to be a
\ncomplete failure in the former province of East Timor. Elsewhere,
\nthe military option has not brought any long-lasting solution to
\nsatisfy the aspirations of the people of Papua. The military
\noption has not worked in Maluku or Central Sulawesi either.<\/p>\n
In fact, the military approach, labeled Daerah Operasi Militer
\nor DOM (Military Operation Area), failed for ten years (from 1988
\nto 1998) in Aceh province to bring peace and security to the
\narea. What most people cannot forget, moreover, is the fact that
\nduring that period thousands of people were killed, mostly
\ninnocent civilians, and thousands more are still missing and must
\nbe presumed dead.<\/p>\n
Second, in this reform era -- which we believe to be
\ntransitional until a more democratic Indonesia can emerge --
\nfinding a solution concerning the sovereignty of the nation and
\nsovereignty of the people, should not be left to the
\ndeliberations of the military establishment alone. It is really
\nsad to see that in handling the Aceh problem President Megawati
\nprefers to listen to retired general Susilo and active generals
\nsuch as Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto and
\nArmy Chief of Staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu instead of the
\ngovernor and councillors of Aceh province and respectable public
\nfigures such as former minister Ali Alatas, Muslim scholar
\nNurcholish Madjid, Muhammadiyah Chairman Syafii Ma'arif, Muslim
\ncleric Alie Yafie, and Ismail Hassan Metareum. Given that the TNI
\nhas become part of the problem in Aceh, there is all the more
\nreason for the government to listen to other parties.<\/p>\n
Third, the Aceh problem is not synonymous with GAM. That
\norganization was not a factor in Aceh until a few years ago, and
\nonly later it was blown out of all proportion, partly due to
\nexaggeration by the military. In fact, lately, the GAM factor has
\nbecome an annoyance to the Acehnese people to the point that its
\nappeal not to fly the Indonesian flag on Independence Day was not
\nheeded in most parts of the province.<\/p>\n
The restiveness of the province originates from a time long
\nbefore the existence of GAM. Since the early 1950s there has been
\na common feeling of betrayal at the hands of the Republic of
\nIndonesia after all that the people of Aceh, from the very
\nbeginning, contributed to the nation's independence. It is worth
\nnoting that Aceh and Yogyakarta were the only sultanates of many
\nin the Dutch East Indies that willingly and voluntarily
\nsurrendered their sovereignty to the Indonesian Republic. It was
\nin recognition of this that both provinces were given \"special
\narea\" status.<\/p>\n
Five consecutive presidents of the Republic, from Sukarno,
\nSoeharto, BJ Habibie and Abdurrahman Wahid to Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, made many promises to the people of Aceh. None
\nwere honored. Instead, the central government has systematically
\nsiphoned off much of the province's resources.<\/p>\n
The proud people of Aceh deserve much better than a military
\napproach. Their dignity deserves to be shown the respect that has
\nlong been overdue. The central government should start with
\nrebuilding the trust that has been frittered away over the last
\n50 years.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aceh-deserves-respect-1447893297",
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