Aceh, one month after<\/p>\n
One month has passed since the \"integrated operations\" under
\nthe auspices of a military emergency were launched to settle the
\nAceh conflict once and for all, and the question has become, are
\nwe moving closer to a solution? Judging by the latest events and
\nmost recent statements, it is anybody's guess.<\/p>\n
Official military statements claim progress. In military
\nterms, it probably means that the military has succeeded in
\noccupying and controlling more territory previously occupied and
\ncontrolled by the rebels. To substantiate those claims, the
\nmilitary has released more figures of alleged rebels arrested,
\nkilled, or who have surrendered. However, it is obviously
\nbecoming increasingly difficult to independently substantiate
\nthose claims.<\/p>\n
The martial law administration late last week issued new
\nregulations on press coverage, banning the press from publishing
\nnews items that compromised the position of the military. Even
\ninterviews with government soldiers in the field are now subject
\nto strict censorship by the military command.<\/p>\n
These new regulations are in addition to previously existing
\nones that include a ban on any press coverage involving
\nverification or interviews with Free Aceh Movement (GAM) sources.
\nBalanced reporting has therefore been eclipsed by what the
\ngovernment claims to be the highest priority, the national
\ninterest.<\/p>\n
Measuring progress is even more difficult as the targets or
\ngoals of the so-called integrated operations have not been
\nclearly defined and made public from the very beginning.
\nPresidential Decree No. 28, dated May 18, 2003, which authorizes
\nthese operations does not explicitly set a clear target or
\nspecific goals, except that the martial law status has a
\nrenewable term of six months.<\/p>\n
TNI Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto last week said during a
\npress conference that the mission would be accomplished if GAM
\nleaders and members surrendered. Army Chief of Staff, Gen.
\nRyamizard Ryacudu, however, said that the security operation in
\nAceh would be considered complete once civilians felt safe to
\nmove about freely, rather than when all the rebels had been
\nsubdued.<\/p>\n
To add to the confusion, the Aceh martial law administration
\nhas moved to end the armed conflict by offering farmland to
\nseparatist rebels in exchange for unconditional surrender. Head
\nof the provincial agriculture and horticulture office Samadi
\nannounced last Friday that the local government would provide
\neach GAM member who surrendered with three hectares of land.<\/p>\n
What is really going on in this conflict-ridden province? What
\nactually are the targets and goals of the integrated operations,
\nwhich comprise a military component, law and order restoration,
\nconsolidation of local government and a humanitarian component?
\nObviously again, it is anybody's guess.<\/p>\n
It is still not too late to set clear, publicly disseminated
\ntargets and specific goals for these integrated operations.
\nPresident Megawati, who authorized the operation, should
\nimmediately end the confusion about this matter. The House of
\nRepresentatives, which previously provided carte blanche for the
\nmartial law administration, should withdraw this mandate and
\ndemand accountability based on clear targets and specific goals.<\/p>\n
This newspaper strongly believes that the solution to the Aceh
\nproblem should put peace and justice for the people in Aceh as
\nthe top priority in setting those targets and goals.<\/p>\n
Pursuing peace and justice in Aceh after decades of conflict
\nthat has killed more than 10,000 people, traumatized many more,
\nand displaced more than 40,000 people, is of course not an easy
\njob.<\/p>\n
Military operations certainly are not an answer. First of all,
\nby definition, the military are trained to occupy and control,
\nnot to pursue peace and justice. Secondly, concerning the Aceh
\nproblem, the Indonesian military has been part of the problem for
\ndecades, and it is hard to believe that a cause can also be the
\nsolution.<\/p>\n
We clearly need something much more substantial than the
\nabove-mentioned Presidential Decree to end the suffering of the
\nAcehnese people. Otherwise, the remaining five months of the
\nmartial law administration in Aceh will end up creating more
\nproblems than it solves.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aceh-one-month-after-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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