Aceh students, residents vandalize national flags<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of students and residents on Thursday
\nvandalized national flags in Lohksukon, North Aceh, following
\nthe removal of banners demanding a referendum on the troubled
\nprovince's future.<\/p>\n
A number of flags installed at government offices were set on
\nfire, a local correspondent said. The action involving secondary
\nstudents led to hours of congestion but no one was arrested.<\/p>\n
University students were observed negotiating with military
\npersonnel on Thursday afternoon, asking that banners on the
\nreferendum be left alone.<\/p>\n
Local military commander First Lt. Chairul Nofa agreed on the
\ncondition that students stopped tearing down the red-and-white
\nnational flags. Officers said referendum banners were allowed as
\nlong as they did not bear the \"Free Aceh Movement\" signs.<\/p>\n
Crowds also resorted to scrawling graffiti including
\n\"referendum\" while police looked on.<\/p>\n
Antara quoted Governor Syamsuddin Mahmud as saying that the
\nAcehnese should participate in the June elections as a step to
\nhelping solve problems in the province.<\/p>\n
\"A boycott is against the spirit of reform ...,\" Syamsuddin
\nsaid Thursday in response to demands for a referendum and calls
\nto boycott the poll.<\/p>\n
He said calls for the referendum to determine whether Acehnese
\nwanted an independent state were based on arguments that it was
\nthe only way to solve the area's political and social crisis left
\nby a decade-long military operation.<\/p>\n
\"They have threatened to boycott the election if the
\ngovernment does not organize a referendum,\" Syamsuddin said.<\/p>\n
Calls for a referendum increased after Syamsuddin stated that
\na federal system may be the best way to maintain Indonesia's
\nunity. In response, students said a referendum would be better.<\/p>\n
Although Syamsuddin said the calls should be respected, he
\nsaid such aspirations should be channeled through representatives
\nin the House of Representatives. His advice was similar to that
\nof President B.J. Habibie who met with Acehnese last month.<\/p>\n
Thirty-seven of the country's 48 parties will be on the ballot
\nin polls in Aceh, the agency reported.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday presidential advisor Usman Hasan told Habibie that
\nreferendum calls were caused by unsettled grievances mainly
\nrelated to impacts of military operations from 1989 to 1998,
\nwhich were aimed at suppressing the Free Aceh Movement.<\/p>\n
He reminded the government to realize Habibie's promises made
\nin last month's dialog in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh,
\nincluding bringing officers accused of atrocities against
\ncivilians to trial.<\/p>\n
Flags of the movement are now frequently seen in Aceh.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, the Aceh chapter of the Islamic People's Party
\n(PUI) stated suggestions to open a military command in the
\nprovince would lead to a repetition of military operations.<\/p>\n
Antara quoted Miswar Sulaiman as saying in a press release
\nthat suggestions of the provincial administration that a military
\ncommand be opened in Aceh should be delayed given continued
\npublic trauma over past military operations.<\/p>\n
Sporadic violence which has killed several military members
\nand civilians after the operations were ended last year, led the
\nlocal legislature to suggest that a military command should be
\nre-opened in Aceh.<\/p>\n
The command was incorporated into the Bukit Barisan Military
\nCommand overseeing Sumatra when the military operations status,
\nwas lifted. The Armed Forces plans to establish a military
\ncommand in Aceh and also in Ambon, the site of recent carnage
\nwhere scores have died in religious conflict.<\/p>\n
\"Our party is of the view that if the military command (in
\nAceh) is set up, we would see more military operations,\" Miswar
\nsaid. Additional operations were launched in January following
\nthe abduction of soldiers which were blamed on the pro-
\nindependence rebels.<\/p>\n
In separate incidents a number of civilians who were
\nconsidered former military informants have also been killed by
\ncivilians, according to the military.<\/p>\n
Statements disagreeing with a re-opening of the military
\ncommand in Aceh was also expressed in last month's meeting
\nbetween Acehnese and the President.<\/p>\n
Miswar added, \"If repressive attitudes (of the military) are
\nmaintained, in which all Acehnese are considered enemies to be
\neliminated, do not hope that Acehnese will give the military a
\nfriendly welcome.\"<\/p>\n
Miswar said demands of Aceh students for a referendum and
\ncalls to boycott the poll should not be responded with violence.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday students in Medan grouped in the Students Front
\nfor Democracy and the Council for North Sumatra Workers
\ndemonstrated at the local legislature and the Bukit Barisan
\nmilitary command in Medan.<\/p>\n
Among others students urged the boycott of the poll, an end to
\nthe military's dual function justifying its role in social and
\npolitical affairs, and a trial of former president Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Workers also demanded an end to the military's dual role apart
\nfrom demanding lower prices and a 100 percent wage hike. (anr\/21)<\/p>",
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