Int'l group slams RI's dealings over Aceh issue<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Analysts from the International Crisis Group
\nsaid on Thursday that the Indonesian government had applied
\n\"contradictory\" measures in dealing with rising insurgency in the
\ntroubled-province of Aceh.<\/p>\n
Diarmid O'Sullivan said the current military operation
\nlaunched in Aceh would be effective in reducing the number of
\narmed civilians in the area. On the other hand, Acehnese who are
\nnot involved in the political struggle would become less
\nconfident in the government as the operation does not reflect the
\ngovernment's efforts to seek a peaceful solution. Most Acehnese
\ndo not see \"goodwill from central government\" to listen to their
\nwish for fairer treatment and appropriate revenue sharing, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Recently, the government and representatives of the Free Aceh
\nMovement (GAM) held a second round of peace talks sponsored by
\nthe Henry Dunnant Foundation in Geneva. While the talks, aimed to
\nachieve peaceful solutions for the prolonged separatist problem,
\nwere ongoing on, violence continued in the province between
\nIndonesian security forces and the GAM's armed wing.<\/p>\n
The House of Representatives is also currently deliberating a
\nbill on special autonomy, which is expected to provide another
\npeaceful solution.<\/p>\n
Diarmid said the government should reduce military operations
\nwhile waiting for the new law on special autonomy.<\/p>\n
\"And to reduce tension, the final draft of the law should be
\nas close as possible to those proposed by the Aceh provincial
\nlegislative council,\" O'Sullivan said.<\/p>\n
Otherwise, there will be a high level of rejection in Aceh, he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
If necessary, the government could appoint a region to become
\na pilot project for the implementation of the law and other
\nregions would voluntarily take part if they saw that the new
\nregulation could benefit them, he added.<\/p>\n
Another analyst, Bob Lowry, strongly believed that the
\nIndonesian Military (TNI) and the police force would be able to
\nquell the armed wing of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) but success
\nwould not be effective to win the hearts of the Acehnese to
\nremain under the Indonesian government.<\/p>\n
Lowry acknowledged that in much of world history, separatism
\ncould not be settled without military deployment but he asserted
\nthat security personnel had to be \"professional\" in carrying out
\ntheir duties in a bid to reduce the criminal actions committed by
\nthe forces against civilians.<\/p>\n
\"Many crimes such as killings and extortion carried out by
\nmilitary\/police personnel are ignored. The reasons for these
\nincidents often stem from the personnel's small salary. The
\nsecurity personnel misuse their assignment to survive
\neconomically and if possible enrich themselves,\" Lowry said.<\/p>\n
Both O'Sullivan and Lowry were speaking during a discussion to
\nlaunch the group's report on Aceh.<\/p>\n
In its report, the group also recommended that the government
\ncease offensive military operations, resume the legal process
\ninitiated by the Independent Commission on Aceh on human rights
\nabuses, consider wider compensation for victims of military and
\npolice abuses as well as provide clear and unequivocal
\nregulations covering the TNI and its power to search, arrest and
\ninterrogate.<\/p>\n
ICG is an independent, multinational organization committed to
\nstrengthening the capacity of the international community to
\nanticipate, understand and act to prevent and contain conflicts.<\/p>\n
In a related development, due to mounting criticism of the
\nmilitary role in troubled Aceh, militia groups consisting of
\nJavanese migrant settlers, had been formed to fight separatist
\nrebels in Aceh province, where killings have topped 1,000 so far
\nthis year.<\/p>\n
Tempo weekly reported that the military commander for Central
\nAceh, Lt. Col. Rochana Hardiyanto, acknowledged militia groups
\nhad been formed, but denied that they were established by the
\nmilitary. (emf)<\/p>",
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