Govt criticized over martial law in Aceh<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Experts criticized on Tuesday the government's decision to extend
\nmilitary offensive in troubled Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, arguing
\nthat the five-month operation had served as a proof that security
\napproach could not resolve the Aceh question.<\/p>\n
Noted sociologist Thamrin Amal Tamagola from the University of
\nIndonesia (UI) and rights campaigners Munir and Usman Hamid
\nstressed militaristic approach would yield no result even if
\nJakarta extends the martial law for years.<\/p>\n
"The government should consider a non-militaristic way to
\nsolve the Aceh question because the military has failed to
\nrestore security and bring about a normal life for Acehnese.<\/p>\n
"Jakarta's decision has only showed that the government has no
\nconcept in dealing with the Aceh question," Thamrin said during a
\nseminar here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
"The government should focus on the Acehnese's welfare and,
\nindeed, there are no progress about this so far," he said.<\/p>\n
Rights activists Munir from the Indonesian Human Rights
\nMonitor (Impartial) and Usman Hamid from the National Commission
\non Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) said the
\ngovernment decision catered to the needs of military and certain
\npolitical elements in the country.<\/p>\n
The government on Monday decided to extend the martial law and
\nthe joint operations in Aceh, admitting that the separatist Free
\nAceh Movement (GAM) had remained strong six months into the
\nmilitary offensive in the troubled province.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri issued a decree in May
\nimposing martial law in Aceh for a period of six months in a bid
\nto crack down on GAM rebels who have been fighting for
\nindependence for the resource-rich province since 1976. Over
\n10,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since then.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono said after a cabinet meeting on Monday
\nthat in terms of personnel and weaponry, GAM rebels "remain
\nstrong and they have changed their tactics to full guerrilla
\nwarfare."<\/p>\n
The cabinet meeting, nevertheless, has yet to decide on the
\nduration of the military operation.<\/p>\n
The military had earlier said that it would easily beat the
\n5,000-strong rebels by conducting counter-guerrilla tactics
\nrepeatedly voiced that it would end the struggle within months.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto
\nadmitted on Tuesday that for the time being, he has yet to employ
\nnew tactics to crush the guerrillas.<\/p>\n
"With the extension of martial law in Aceh, we have yet to
\ndecide on the new method or strategy to hunt down the
\nguerrillas," Endriartono said after attending a special meeting
\non general elections at Susilo's office on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Both Munir and Usman said the government has also made public
\nlies by saying that the extension of military campaign was badly
\nneeded because "most Acehnese demanded so."<\/p>\n
"Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said that local ulemas and other
\nrepresentatives of Acehnese civilian have demanded Jakarta to
\nextend the martial law for what they claimed that they were happy
\nwith the current situation in Aceh. But it was a lie because he
\n(Susilo) did not listen to other voice from the people who have
\nbeen suffering the most due to the ongoing war," they said in a
\njoint statement.<\/p>\n
"GAM has been conducting armed struggle for more than two-
\ndecades and, indeed, it was also a public lie if Susilo said that
\nthe rebels had already changed their tactics," they said.<\/p>\n
Both Munir and Usman said the military had developed a
\npermanent relationship with local politicians in Aceh to maintain
\n"an emergency structure" in the province which, of course, "will
\ngrant an extra power to the military and sideline civilian
\nparticipation in solving the Aceh questions."<\/p>\n
"The government's decision has also showed an ignorance to the
\nrampant rights abuses in Aceh," they said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-criticized-over-martial-law-in-aceh-1447893297",
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