Acehnese at Idul Fitri<\/p>\n
Kornelius Purba, Staff Writer, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, purba@thejakartapost.com<\/p>\n
In a conversation with The Jakarta Post on Thursday,
\nIndonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto
\ndescribed the security condition in Aceh as \"safe as Jakarta\",
\nespecially in welcoming next week's Idul Fitri holiday -- police
\nhave guaranteed that there will be no bombing incident in Jakarta
\nduring the celebration.<\/p>\n
Endriartono said he had ordered Army Chief of Staff Gen.
\nRyamizard Ryacudu to convey his Idul Fitri greeting -- which
\ntraditionally includes asking for forgiveness from others -- to
\nsoldiers stationed in the war-torn province and to the people of
\nAceh.<\/p>\n
As the expression Mohon maaf lahir bathin (Forgive my sins,
\nboth those of the world and those within me) during the holiday
\nis often perceived as mere courtesy, the people in Aceh are
\nexpected to take the greeting lightly to avoid more frustration.<\/p>\n
Despite Endriartono's confidence, however, the situation in
\nthe province -- often called the Veranda of Mecca for its
\nstaunchly devout Muslim population -- is much gloomier,
\nespecially for civilians. How can civilian Muslims there enjoy
\neven the slightest sense of peace if the two warring parties show
\nno sign of willingness for a momentary ceasefire?<\/p>\n
Even the country's most popular Muslim preachers, like
\nAbdullah Gymnastiar (Aa Gym) or Zainuddin MZ, would develop a
\nheadache if they were asked to lead the Idul Fitri Ied prayers
\nfor Acehnese Muslims in their province. It is almost a mission
\nimpossible to convince the suffering people to continue their
\nstruggle for peace while keeping the sermon in line with the
\nrhetoric of the martial law authority.<\/p>\n
The military can take any measure they see fit to ensure that
\nno one speaks against their policy. They have the right to arrest
\nthe preachers; a more comic measure would be to simply turn off
\nthe sound system so the preacher unwittingly continues the
\nsermon, not realizing that his expectant congregation can't hear
\na word -- as often happened during the Soeharto era.<\/p>\n
After refusing to give even a little space for the Acehnese to
\nbreathe during Ramadhan, President Megawati Soekarnoputri and the
\nHouse of Representatives (DPR) proceeded to give one of the most
\nbitter Idul Fitri presents in history this month: The extension
\nof martial law for another six months by the President and the
\ndoubling of the military operation fund to nearly Rp 1.5
\ntrillion, from the requested Rp 600 - Rp 700 billion by the
\nHouse. TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has denied the
\nreport about the fund.<\/p>\n
If the TNI still fails to tame Aceh -- as they have for
\nseveral decades -- by June 2004, it will be difficult for them to
\nfind a new scapegoat, because the President has practically given
\nthem a blank check. Besides which, financial accountability
\nduring the military operation is at a bare minimum. The strong
\ncriticism from the TNI against corrupt civilian leaders under
\nGovernor Abdullah Puteh, oft voiced before the military operation
\nstarted in May, is not heard so much now.<\/p>\n
The easiest way to excuse their failure is by blaming other
\ncountries or organizations. Indonesia has already chastised the
\nco-sponsors of the Tokyo Conference for the Reconstruction of
\nAceh -- Japan, the U.S. and the European Union -- and the World
\nBank for meddling in its domestic affairs.<\/p>\n
Still, there are limits -- creatively putting al-Qaeda behind
\nGAM will likely cause laughter, even from U.S. President George
\nW. Bush, and the government itself retracted its earlier plan
\nthat GAM be included on the United Nations Security Council's
\nterrorist list.<\/p>\n
The President and the House apparently both believe that the
\nTNI is the only savior capable of freeing 3.4 million Acehnese
\nfrom the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). The TNI offers the quickest
\nand simplest way to restore peace and order in Aceh: Killing as
\nmany GAM members as possible. In so doing, the better Jakarta can
\ncontrol the rebellious province and be assured of the
\nannihilation of the GAM evil, which TNI believes to be the sole
\nsource of disaster in the province.<\/p>\n
In an apparent gesture of consolation for the Acehnese,
\nEndiartono has replaced -- for better or for worse -- the martial
\nlaw administrator. Brig. Gen. George Toisutta will soon replace
\nMaj. Gen. Bambang Dharmono.<\/p>\n
What message should be sent to the Acehnese now? Should we
\nreiterate that the state is doing its best to rescue them from
\nGAM's terror?<\/p>\n
They will not believe any promise that comes out of the mouths
\nof state officials, nor even those from the country's most
\nprominent ulema.<\/p>\n
How could they possibly believe that the government would mete
\nout justice for human rights violators, when some Indonesian
\nofficials -- probably jokingly -- hinted that investigations into
\nhuman rights violations should begin from the time of Adam?<\/p>\n
The devout Muslims that they are, the Acehnese will celebrate
\nthis year's Idul Fitri with the hope that their condition will
\nsoon improve, although for the time being, they can only see
\ndarkness before them.<\/p>",
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