Aceh needs referendum: Rights body<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) urged the
\ngovernment on Wednesday to reconsider its plan to extend martial
\nlaw in war-torn Aceh, saying that it would only worsen rampant
\nrights violations in the province.<\/p>\n
M.M. Billah, chairman of the commission's ad hoc team
\nmonitoring Aceh, said that continuing with martial law in Aceh
\nwould only lend legitimacy to various abuses, such as extra-
\njudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture and sexual
\nharassment.<\/p>\n
"The government should hold a referendum in Aceh to find out
\nwhether or not the majority of the population are truly demanding
\nan extension of the martial law," Billah said, in reference to
\ngovernment statements claiming the Acehnese wanted to live under
\nmartial law.<\/p>\n
The government decided on Monday to extend the martial law in
\nAceh, citing demands from the people in that province.<\/p>\n
The extension, the length of which will be decided in a
\nplenary Cabinet meeting on Thursday (today), will allow the
\nmilitary to continue its ongoing offensive beyond six months as
\nit originally planned.<\/p>\n
Komnas HAM said Wednesday it knew of at least 319 Acehnese
\ncivilians that had been killed and 117 injured, since the
\nmilitary launched a massive offensive on May 19. It also said
\nthat 108 civilians were still missing. Hundreds of houses and
\nschools had also been burned, but "local administrations have
\ndone nothing to rehabilitate" the buildings.<\/p>\n
The commission also alleged that martial law had deprived the
\npublic of its right to information "by isolating Aceh from both
\nthe national and international communities."<\/p>\n
"Since the military has the highest authority in Aceh, it
\nissues restrictions banning independent bodies, including non-
\ngovernment organizations, to monitor the ongoing situation in
\nAceh. It also gives unbalanced information about the ongoing war,
\nso that the press only has access to data provided by the
\nmilitary's media center," Billah said.<\/p>\n
On May 19, Megawati issued a decree imposing martial law in
\nthe natural resource-rich province for a period of six months,
\nalthough it is allowed to be extend. It was initially imposed to
\ncarry out the so-called joint operation, supposedly comprising a
\nhumanitarian mission, the empowerment of local administrations,
\nand greater law enforcement.<\/p>\n
Nearly 1,000 suspected separatist rebel fighters have been
\nkilled -- according to the military's official figures -- since
\nmartial law came into effect. They also have announced the deaths
\nof 67 military and police personnel during the same period.<\/p>\n
Separately, speaker of the House of Representatives Akbar
\nTandjung proposed on Wednesday that the government extend martial
\nlaw in the province for just four months and lift it before the
\ncountry holds the legislative election.<\/p>\n
The National Elections Commission (KPU) has scheduled the
\nlegislative election for April 5 and planned to organize a two-
\nphase presidential election in July and September next year.<\/p>\n
Political analyst J. Kristiadi from the Centre of Strategic
\nand International Studies (CSIS) said general elections should
\nnot be the reason for extending martial law as "it goes against
\nevery principle of elections, which give civilians a greater
\nrole."<\/p>\n
"The extension of martial law will severely limit civilians in
\nAceh in exercising their political rights because they won't be
\nallowed to campaign or vote in a climate of basic election
\nprinciples," Kristiadi said referring to five principles of
\nelections -- independent, direct, honest, fair and secret.<\/p>\n
"Violations against these principles will only create problems
\nin the future, including the legitimacy of the election itself,"
\nKristiadi was quoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>",
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