Mega still hoping for peace<\/p>\n
Agencies, Tokyo<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Monday said she is still
\nhoping for a negotiated settlement of the separatist war in Aceh
\nprovince but will push ahead with a military campaign to maintain
\nIndonesia's territorial integrity.<\/p>\n
In a speech at the Japan National Press Club, Megawati
\nemphasized her government's determination to oppose any
\nchallenges to the territorial unity of Indonesia, the world's
\nfourth-most populous nation.<\/p>\n
"We are holding out hope for a peaceful resolution through
\ndialog," she said, speaking through a Japanese interpreter. "But
\nthe Constitution makes clear that Indonesia is a unitary state,
\nand it is unacceptable that any people should aim for an
\narrangement contrary to that."<\/p>\n
Megawati imposed martial law in Aceh and ordered troops into
\naction in the province after talks to salvage a five-month-old
\npeace deal failed in Tokyo on May 18. The Indonesian government
\nhas offered autonomy to the province but accused the rebels of
\nusing the peace deal to rearm in pursuit of their separatist
\nstruggle.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has sent 30,000 troops to the natural resource rich
\nprovince to fight an estimate 5,000 Free Aceh Movement (GAM)
\nrebels in what is expected to be Indonesia's biggest military
\ndeployment since the operation in East Timor in 1975.<\/p>\n
Megawati said the military operation was supposed to last for
\nfive more months "but I hope it will end as soon as possible."<\/p>\n
She argued it would be "ideal" to settle the Aceh conflict
\npeacefully but called on the world to understand there were
\n"limitations" to this approach.<\/p>\n
Demands for the government to stop the offensive and return to
\nnegotiating table are quite unpopular at home, except persistent
\npressure from human rights groups who said the military operation
\nwas prone to unchecked human rights violations, undermining
\ndemocracy and failing to protect civilians.<\/p>\n
The National Police announced on Monday that 124 civilians had
\nbeen killed, 67 injured and 61 others had gone missing since the
\nimposition of martial law in Aceh.<\/p>\n
Muhammadiyah chairman Ahmad Sjafii Maarif is one of a few
\nantiwar protagonists from the religious community who has
\npersistently called on the government to put an end to the war
\nand reopen dialog with the separatists.<\/p>\n
He warned the government against using national integrity as
\nthe pretext for the offensive on Aceh, saying it would only mean
\noppression for most of the people in the province.<\/p>\n
The last military operation in Aceh between 1989 and 1998 is
\nbelieved to have resulted in the deaths of over 10,000 civilians.<\/p>\n
Megawati arrived in Tokyo on Sunday for a four-day visit that
\nmay include talks on a possible free-trade accord and Japanese
\nhelp in curbing rampant illegal logging in Indonesia, officials
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi was expected to
\nexpress his concern over the resumption of hostilities in Aceh
\nand reiterate Japan's readiness to help play peacemaker when the
\ntwo leaders meet Tuesday, according to media reports.<\/p>\n
A group of international donors, including Japan, the United
\nStates and the European Union, were preparing a rehabilitation
\npackage for post-war Aceh.<\/p>\n
Megawati said her government was pursuing a "comprehensive
\nstrategy" in Aceh that included economic projects "for the
\nbenefit of the people" as well as military operations.<\/p>\n
They included programs to ensure that revenues generated by
\nthe province were used to promote local development, said
\nCoordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti,
\nwho was among Indonesian ministers visiting Tokyo with Megawati.<\/p>\n
In Aceh, separatist rebels killed a local police chief and two
\ncivil servants, the military said.<\/p>\n
In a separate incident, five Mobile Brigade paramilitary
\npolicemen were wounded when their truck went over a homemade bomb
\nin Pidie district on Sunday, spokesman for the military operation
\nLt. Col. Achmad Yani Basuki added.<\/p>\n
He said Darisman, chief of police in North Aceh's Blang Mangat
\nsubdistrict, was shot dead Monday by two GAM members as he rode a
\nmotorcycle. The rebels stole his handgun after the shooting.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mega-still-hoping-for-peace-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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