Military command reinstated in Aceh despite protests<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Despite objections from the Acehnese and from human rights
\ncampaigners, the government has decided to reestablish the
\nmilitary command in Aceh, contending that the province needs
\nspecial treatment to curb separatist activities.<\/p>\n
Rights activists have expressed concern that the decision,
\ntaken at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, would signal the return
\nof unbridled military power in the restive province.<\/p>\n
Emerging from the meeting, Coordinating Minister for Political
\nand Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, said that the
\nreintroduction of the Iskandar Muda military command in Aceh was
\ndesigned \"to strengthen the Indonesian Military's ability to
\nhandle the separatist movement in the province.\"<\/p>\n
Aceh has been under the auspices of the Bukit Barisan Military
\nCommand, based in the North Sumatra capital of Medan, since its
\nmilitary command was dissolved in 1984.<\/p>\n
Rights activists promptly objected to the decision, saying
\nthat the new military command would only damage the peace efforts
\nin the oil-rich province.<\/p>\n
\"We strongly oppose the new military command as it will go
\nagainst peace efforts being made by local and international
\nrights campaigners,\" said Rufriadi, chairman of the Legal Aid
\nInstitute in Aceh, as quoted by the Associated Press. \"This will
\nonly create more violence and more and more civilians will become
\nvictims.\"<\/p>\n
International human rights activists have accused the army of
\ncommitting widespread abuses in Aceh, including running death
\nsquads that target civilians opposed to Indonesian rule.<\/p>\n
Aceh remains tense as violence continues in some part of the
\nprovince. At least 36 people have been killed in clashes between
\nrebels and security forces since the beginning of the year.<\/p>\n
Last month the military said that it would reestablish the
\nmilitary command in Aceh only if the Acehnese agreed to it.<\/p>\n
The minister argued that it was the constitutional duty of the
\nIndonesian Military (TNI) to maintain national integrity.<\/p>\n
The separatist movement, which has existed for 26 years, had
\nposed a threat to national unity, he said.<\/p>\n
Rights activists say that more than 1,400 people, mostly
\ncivilians, have died during that period.<\/p>\n
The Iskandar Muda military command was liquidated in a bid to
\ntrim TNI's organization from 16 military commands to 10 across
\nthe country.<\/p>\n
However, in 1989 the government imposed some kind of military
\noperation in the restive province, which went on for 10 years.
\nNumerous human rights violations committed during that period
\nhave deeply traumatized the Acehnese.<\/p>\n
The violations were conducted under the guise of military
\noperations to crush the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).<\/p>\n
So far none of those human rights violations cases has been
\ntaken to court. Peace dialogs with GAM members initiated by
\nformer president Abdurrahman Wahid seem to have lost their
\nmomentum.<\/p>\n
Susilo also said that the structure for the military command
\nalready existed and the current operational command post would
\nserve as the new military command.<\/p>\n
\"We already have a military command post and enough military
\ndeployment in Aceh, so we will not be starting from scratch. Of
\ncourse, there will be a timetable and we will calculate the
\nbudget for it,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
On the possibility of continuing a dialog with GAM, Susilo
\nsaid that the government was still awaiting a signal from GAM to
\nsettle the separatist issue peacefully, before expiry of the
\nimplementation of Presidential Instruction No.7\/2001 on the
\ncomprehensive solution for Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"We will give GAM one more chance to have a dialog with us by
\nFeb.11, but it should be conducted within the context of
\naccepting the special regional autonomy law of Nanggroe Aceh
\nDarussalam or we will have to continue the law enforcement
\noperation,\" Susilo said.<\/p>\n
The law, which gives the province more power to control its
\nown affairs, came into effect on Jan. 1 this year.<\/p>\n
Acehnese Ulemas Consultative Assembly vice chairman Tengku
\nImam Syuja told this paper last month that a one-sided decision
\nto reestablish the military command could destroy any efforts at
\ndialog with GAM.<\/p>\n
He also said that GAM had opposed the plans to revive the
\nmilitary command.<\/p>\n
Susilo said that the minister of foreign affairs and minister
\nof home affairs would determine the agenda for the dialogs.<\/p>\n
Concerted efforts for military command in Aceh<\/p>\n
Dec. 16, 2001: Brig. Gen. M. Djali Yusuf, military operations
\ncommander in Aceh, says TNI would consider reestablishing the
\nIskandar Muda military Command if the Acehnese agree to its
\nresumption.<\/p>\n
Jan 2, 2002: Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh, accompanied by
\nhis deputy Azwar Abu Bakar and a number of provincial councillors,
\nmeet with Vice President Hamzah Haz, and separately with top
\nsecurity minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Minister of
\nDefense Matori Abdul Djalil, to demand the revival of the
\nmilitary command in Aceh.<\/p>\n
Jan. 3, 2002: Minister Susilo Bambang say after a Cabinet
\nmeeting that President Megawati Soekarnoputri will soon issue a
\ndecision on the reestablishment of the military command.<\/p>\n
Jan. 4, 2002: Abdullah Puteh and his entourage meet President
\nMegawati together with Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno. Hari
\nsay Megawati gives a \"positive response.\" Vice President Hamzah Haz
\ngives his consent to the planned revival of the command.<\/p>\n
Jan. 9, 2002: Coordinating meeting of political and security
\nministers recommends the revival of the command.<\/p>\n
Jan. 10, 2002: After a Cabinet meeting, Susilo says the
\ngovernment has decided to reestablish the military command.<\/p>",
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