Govt urged to continue dialog on Aceh issue<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
While the Indonesian Military (TNI) is insisting on a military
\noperation to end the conflict in Aceh, local legislators and
\npolitical analysts have strongly urged the government to continue
\nwith the peace process and win the Acehnese people's support for
\nthe unitary state.<\/p>\n
The politicians and analysts were commenting on the
\npostponement of a hearing on Wednesday between the House of
\nRepresentatives and the government to evaluate the escalating
\nsituation in Aceh.<\/p>\n
The law requires the government to secure the House's approval
\nif it decides to launch a military operation. Despite the
\nopposition of many legislators, the major political parties have
\nexpressed their support for the planned adoption of a repressive
\napproach to crush the separatist movement.<\/p>\n
Amris Hassan, a legislator from the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), denied that his Commission I
\non defense affairs has ever given the government the green light
\nto launch a military operation in Aceh.<\/p>\n
He conceded his commission, which deals with security, defense
\nand foreign affairs, had discussed the latest developments in
\nAceh and Papua with the military leadership during a closed-door
\nmeeting early in March, but no agreement was reached.<\/p>\n
\"During the meeting, we decided on two options to deal with
\nthe separatist movement in Aceh. The first option is to continue
\nwith dialog, while the second one is for the government to stick
\nto the peace process.<\/p>\n
He said many legislators were of the opinion that a military
\noperation should be a last resort and that there should be \"a
\nseries of talks and negotiations before the last resort is
\nreached.\"<\/p>\n
According to Amris, if a military operation were launched,
\nboth the government and the House would have to closely watch its
\nimplementation in the field to make sure that no violations
\noccurred.<\/p>\n
He warned that the nation should learn from the military
\noperation in Aceh from 1989 through 1999, when the military
\nproved incapable of suppressing the separatist movement. He said
\nthe nation should not make the same mistake twice.<\/p>\n
\"If necessary, we could also invite UN officials as observers
\nto monitor whether or not the military and the Free Aceh Movement
\n(GAM) are abiding by the peace deal. Somehow, I believe there are
\nstill prospects for a peaceful solution in Aceh,\" Amris told The
\nJakarta Post on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Acehnese figure Gazhalin Abas, a member of the People's
\nConsultative Assembly, called on the government to change its
\nmind and continue to pursue dialog as there was no guarantee that
\nthe planned military operation would be over quickly, produce a
\nvictory for the government, crush GAM and avoid civilian
\ncasualties.<\/p>\n
\"We should not listen to the military because all they want is
\nwar, even if it is at the expense of thousands of innocent
\nlives,\" Gazhali told the Post.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and GAM signed the Cessation of Hostilities
\nAgreement (COHA) in December last year, marking the end of some
\ntwo-and-a-half years of negotiations initiated by former
\npresident Abdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid after several years of
\nmilitary repression by his predecessors.<\/p>\n
GAM has been fighting for independence as many there feel they
\nhave been deceived by Indonesia ever since the country's
\nindependence in 1945.<\/p>\n
The disappointment of the Acehnese reached its peak during
\nformer president Soeharto's 32-year New Order regime during which
\nmost of the revenues from natural resources went to Jakarta while
\nthousands of Acehnese people were killed during repeated military
\noperations.<\/p>\n
The government under former presidents B.J. Habibie and
\nAbdurrahman Wahid tried to heal the wounds caused by their
\npredecessors, but so far no concrete action has been taken to
\nfulfill its promises.<\/p>\n
Following several negotiations, GAM finally agreed to accept
\nspecial autonomy as a starting point toward the formation of a
\ndemocratic government in the province, and the creation of
\nsecurity for Acehnese people.<\/p>\n
Misinterpretations by both sides have damaged the mutual
\nconfidence necessary to end the conflict.<\/p>\n
The Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) chief Lt. Gen.
\nBibit Waluyo amplified the military leadership's call for an
\nimmediate military operation to end the conflict.<\/p>\n
\"I'm ready to deploy hundreds more reinforcements to Aceh to
\ncrush GAM,\" he told reporters after attending a ceremony marking
\nthe 51st anniversary of the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) at
\ntheir headquarters in Cijantung, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Agreeing with Bibit was Kopassus Commander Maj. Gen. Sriyanto,
\nwho said that two battalions of Kopassus troops hae been
\ndispatched in Aceh a few days ago to reinforce the 21,000
\nmilitary personnel already there.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-urged-to-continue-dialog-on-aceh-issue-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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