Favoring Iraq, not Aceh<\/p>\n
Kornelius Purba, Staff Writer, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta,
\nkorpur@yahoo.com<\/p>\n
While tens of thousands of Indonesians in major cities chant
\npeace messages for Iraq in the street, and others even vow
\nreadiness to sacrifice their own blood for the sake of Iraqis,
\nmost ignore the grief of devout Acehnese Muslims in their own
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
Away from the spotlight, Army chief Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu
\npresides over an Army leadership meeting in Lhokseumawe, Aceh's
\nbusiness center. It seems it is only the Army that is still
\nconcerned to enforce peace in the rebellious province, although
\nthe choice of the city as meeting venue has been interpreted by
\nmany Acehnese as a \"show of force\" before the rebels in one of
\ntheir known strongholds.<\/p>\n
Aceh's provincial legislative council is possibly the most
\nactive Indonesian state agency currently reacting to the war in
\nthe Gulf, making an even harsher commentary than President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri herself.<\/p>\n
Claiming they were speaking on behalf of Aceh's 4.2 million
\npeople in the province, which has experienced conflict for 27
\nyears, the 55 legislators urged the UN on Monday to take all
\nnecessary measures to stop the war, \"the crazy military
\nadventure\" of U.S. President George W. Bush, British Prime
\nMinister (PM) Tony Blair and Australian PM John Howard.<\/p>\n
\"By invading Iraq in contempt of the UN and international law,
\nthose three leaders could be categorized as war criminals,\"
\ncouncil chairman Muhammad Yunus said while reading a statement,
\nas quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
Last Thursday the President had only said, \"the government and
\npeople of Indonesia strongly deplore the unilateral action taken
\nby the government of the U.S. and its allies.\" Megawati has been
\nwidely praised for her strong stance toward the U.S., which she
\nreportedly reiterated in her recent telephone conversation with
\nBush.<\/p>\n
Yunus said, \"the Islamic community in Aceh and Indonesia are
\nexpected not to remain idle, but do something to help the Iraqi
\npeople cope with their suffering.\"<\/p>\n
Apart from this expression of Muslim solidarity, millions of
\nothers, including Pope John Paul II, have also voiced strong
\nopposition to the war.<\/p>\n
In the case of the U.S. attack on Afghanistan, and, before
\nthat, the atrocities against Bosnians, scores here also expressed
\nsolidarity. Indonesia and its people are obliged by the
\nConstitution to help the liberation of any oppressed peoples.<\/p>\n
But why do we often ignore the distress of our own people?
\nWhile there are campaigns to collect funds to help Iraqis, why
\ndon't we do the same for the Acehnese?<\/p>\n
When few Indonesians showed empathy toward victims of atrocity
\nin East Timor during our occupation there, some wondered if it
\nwas because most of the victims were Catholic. However, the
\nmostly Muslim Acehnese may feel they are experiencing similar
\nindifference from fellow citizens.<\/p>\n
A friend pointed out that many Indonesians also wish to help
\nthe Acehnese, but cannot forget the risks, entailed in supporting
\nany oppressed people, that existed during Soeharto's regime. They
\ncould be stigmatized as traitors of the republic for supporting
\nAcehnese who are demanding independence.<\/p>\n
But this is a lame excuse for ignorance.<\/p>\n
Ryamizard has repeatedly vowed to maintain the integrity of
\nIndonesia's unitary state, saying the Indonesian Military (TNI)
\nwould not tolerate rebellion. While we support the general's vow,
\nwe may not have really come to appreciate the root causes of the
\nrebellion. Apart from civilians, victims have also included
\nmembers of the Free Aceh Movement and Indonesian soldiers.<\/p>\n
Thousands of soldiers, mostly privates, died during the
\nconflict in Aceh. Their widows and children struggle on with
\nsmall pensions from the state.<\/p>\n
The peace agreement signed between the Indonesian government
\nand the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in December is now on the verge
\nof becoming a waste of paper, given that the parties are stepping
\nup their hostility campaigns.<\/p>\n
From the government's inaction one might think the President
\nhad even forgotten the existence of the agreement. Coordinating
\nMinister for Political and Security Affairs Gen. (ret) Susilo
\nBambang Yudhoyono has also seemed to have lost the appetite for
\npeace in the province, while the disputing parties on the ground,
\nTNI and GAM, seem to be hardening their stance against each
\nother.<\/p>\n
Given such inertia, it will fall to the people to remind the
\nauthorities to heed the demands of the Acehnese for peace and
\ndignity. When Aceh leaders, and many other Indonesians, demand
\nthe trial of President George W. Bush for his alleged war crimes
\nin Iraq, why don't we also voice the same demand in support of
\nour brothers and sisters in Aceh?<\/p>\n
If the current apathy continues, one day we may see thousands
\nof people from other nations taking to the streets, this time to
\ndefend the rights of Acehnese to live in freedom from fear, from
\nbeing killed and from human rights abuse.<\/p>\n
One expected reaction is: \"Foreign nations just don't like to
\nsee a strong Indonesia.\"<\/p>",
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