JSC blamed over extortion in Aceh<\/p>\n
Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Acehnese people have lambasted the Joint Security Committee (JSC)
\nenforcing the cessation of hostilities agreement in Aceh, for its
\nfailure to stop the rampant extortion committed both by the Free
\nAceh Movement (GAM) and security personnel.<\/p>\n
Jamil, a 59-year-old retired teacher, expressed his
\ndisappointment both with the Henry Dunant Centre facilitating the
\npeace process and JSC, because although the Acehnese people had
\nlodged hundreds of extortion cases to be followed up, none had
\nbeen investigated thoroughly so far.<\/p>\n
\"We are disappointed because we hoped for too much from the
\nHDC and JSC,\" he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Jamil disclosed that GAM had imposed both legal and illegal
\nlevies upon the people to raise funds by force to support its
\npersonnel and logistics.<\/p>\n
\"GAM rebels collect taxes at night. Many people have been
\nbeaten for their failure to pay their taxes to GAM,\" he said,
\nsaying he had just paid Rp 300,000 in taxes to GAM.<\/p>\n
He added that GAM had collected taxes since 1998.<\/p>\n
Syaifuddin, a truck driver living in the city, backed up
\nJamil's story and said the extortion of drivers and bus owners
\nwas a common sight along the highway connecting Banda Aceh and
\nMedan, the capital of North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
\"They take our money by force and intimidation, and those who
\nrefuse to hand over money are beaten with guns,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Many groups of Acehnese people have staged several
\ndemonstrations already at the HDC and JSC headquarters in the
\ncity to protest these legal and illegal levies imposed on them.<\/p>\n
On March 3, two JSC members were injured and three cars were
\nburned in Takengon, Central Aceh, when hundreds of local people
\nran amok while protesting JSC's failure to follow up their
\nreports on GAM's widespread extortion of residents in the
\nregency.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of residents of Timang Gajah, Central Aceh, are still
\ntaking refuge in a mosque in the city, and refuse to return to
\ntheir home village following the unchecked extortion by security
\npersonnel deployed in the village.<\/p>\n
Tengku Sofyan Ibrahim Tiba, representing GAM in the JSC,
\nconceded that GAM had collected taxes from the people to purchase
\narms.<\/p>\n
\"If the Indonesian government is allowed to collect taxes from
\nthe people, we have the same authority to do so,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He, however, said GAM would take action against those members
\nwho imposed illegal levies on the Acehnese.<\/p>\n
Brig. Gen. Safzen Nurdin, representing the government in the
\nJSC, admitted the involvement of security personnel in the
\nextortion scheme, but said it was difficult to monitor since the
\nactivity was committed along the highway.<\/p>\n
\"The Indonesian Military leadership has ordered the chief of
\noperations to restore security here and to take strong measures
\nagainst security personnel taking money from the people,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
JSC Chairman Maj. Gen. Tanungsuk Tuvinan admitted that JSC did
\nnot have the authority to impose any strict action against both
\nsides breaching the peace deal.<\/p>\n
\"It is very difficult for us to seek evidence on the extortion
\nand the imposition of strict sanctions against those violating
\nthe agreement should be entrusted both to the military and GAM
\nleadership,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jsc-blamed-over-extortion-in-aceh-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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