Blame game over the Aceh problem<\/p>\n
Damien Kingsbury, Melbourne<\/p>\n
The conflict in Aceh is perhaps Indonesia's most emotive and
\ndivisive. After the 'loss' of East Timor in 1999, the Indonesian
\nmilitary (TNI) has committed itself to never again suffering such
\na 'defeat'.<\/p>\n
This is so much the case that it is effectively forbidden, by
\nthe TNI, to hold any view other than that Aceh should remain as a
\npart of the unitary state.<\/p>\n
Genuine autonomy, that is, federalism, is not on the agenda.
\nThe corollary of that is that the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), which
\nis trying to establish a separate state, must be demonized. This
\napplies to foreigners at least as much as to Indonesians, at
\nleast if they wish to visit, and especially work in, Indonesia.<\/p>\n
To this end, the recent article here by Kirsten Schultz
\nreflects a view that is entirely in keeping with the TNI's
\nofficial line on Aceh. Schultz' article does express one
\nlegitimate concern, on the tragedy of war. Yet Schultz's focus on
\nthe victims of GAM implies a type of equivalence that is
\ninaccurate.<\/p>\n
The Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin once said that the death of
\na person is a tragedy, but that the death of a million is a
\nstatistic. He and Schultz are correct to note that for every
\nperson killed, no matter by whom, there will be a grieving
\nspouse, children and friends. And every person that GAM
\nkills adds to this tragic list.<\/p>\n
As Schultz and I also agree, liberation movements should
\nbehave in as exemplary manner as possible, if they are to
\nretain the high moral ground their causes imply.<\/p>\n
Yet death in greater numbers is not a statistic, but a greater
\ntragedy. Schultz's focus on the 'crimes' of GAM ignores the
\ndemonstrable fact that it is the TNI that is responsible for the
\noverwhelming majority of civilian deaths in Aceh, that targeting
\ncivilians is a routine TNI tactic, and that as an institution
\nthat claims legitimacy in Aceh its actions have only further
\ndelegitimized both itself and the state it represents.<\/p>\n
Similarly, while GAM raises 'taxes', which can be called
\n'extortion' or even robbery if one does not wish to comply, GAM
\nargues that as the legitimate government of the 'state' taxation
\nis its right, in the same way that the Indonesian state imposes
\ntaxes.<\/p>\n
What Schultz neglected to mention,however, was that of the
\nextortion and robbery that plagues Aceh, members of the TNI
\nundertake the overwhelming majority of it, with the quasi-
\nmilitary police taking up most of the rest, including dressing as
\ncivilians and holding up transport along the main roads, along
\nwith illegal logging, 'taxes' on fishing and coffee.<\/p>\n
Conversely, while GAM has targeted specific civilians it
\nconsiders traitors or opponents to its cause, it does not
\nsystematically target the Acehnese population as such. Indeed, as
\na classic guerrilla army, it could not survive without the active
\nsupport of the vast majority of Acehnese people, and this cannot
\nhappen if they are alienated.<\/p>\n
Based on the TNI's own figures, from GAM's original force in
\nMay 2003, the equivalent to its entire number has been either
\nkilled, captured or surrendered. Yet after more than a year of
\nthe TNI's most concerted campaign ever, GAM's strength in the
\nfield remains at around 80 percent. This reflects both the
\nsupport it was able to receive from among Acehnese people, as
\nwell as the TNI's failure to win their 'hearts and minds'.<\/p>\n
It is morally impossible to accept the harming of civilians in
\nany conflict, even if this is a reality of war. But if there is
\nto be a demand for accountability, it defies logic to not lay it
\nat the feet of the organization that is responsible for the
\noverwhelming majority of civilian casualties.<\/p>\n
This type of implied impunity for the TNI is expected in Aceh,
\nand reflects a wider problem of the role of the TNI in politics,
\nin business and in criminal activity. It may be that in any
\nconflict no-one is entirely innocent, but by attacking the
\nvictim, in relative terms, Schultz offers no solution to
\nthe Aceh problem or, by extension, for the reform of the TNI upon
\nwhich so much of Indonesia's process of democratization rests.<\/p>\n
If one is to try to constructively address the Aceh problem,
\nit might be more useful to look at returning to a ceasefire
\nbetween the TNI and GAM, ensuring that the ceasefire holds, and
\nthen using the good will that can be built up over time to re-
\nopen a genuine dialogue about Aceh's future with Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Dr. Damien Kingsbury is Senior Lecturer in International
\nDevelopment at Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia, and is
\nauthor of Power Politics and the Indonesian Military.<\/p>",
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