Military operation will only 'take toll on civilians'<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
As the government continued to secure more support for its
\nplan to intensify military operations in Aceh, experts warned
\nthat an increased military presence in Aceh would not solve
\nproblems but would only create state-sanctioned violence against
\ninnocent civilians there.<\/p>\n
The latest endorsement of the government's harsh plan for Aceh
\ncame from the People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais,
\nwho conveyed his support during his meeting with President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Amien said on Sunday that during his meeting with Megawati, he
\nasked her to utilize two other alternatives available, and then
\nresort to the military onslaught.<\/p>\n
\"In the meeting, I suggested three things, namely negotiation
\nwith GAM needs to be continued, and the autonomy law must be
\nimplemented fully,\" he said, adding that the security forces
\nneeded to take stern actions against trouble makers, be they
\nthugs or GAM members.<\/p>\n
\"As for the military emergency, I think that's the last
\noption, because those three options needed to be implemented
\nfirst,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, human rights activist Ori Rachman of the Commission
\nfor Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) warned on
\nSunday that going back to another military operation could become
\njust another ploy to terrorize the Acehnese.<\/p>\n
He also warned that the government's new labeling of the Free
\nAceh Movement (GAM) as a \"terrorist group\" could backfire.<\/p>\n
\"Many actions by military and police officers in Aceh could
\nvery well be categorized as acts of terrorism because they put
\nthe people (civilians) in misery,\" Ori said.<\/p>\n
In another hint that the government wants to crush GAM more
\nthan ever, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security
\nAffairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last Thursday labeled GAM as a
\nterrorist group.<\/p>\n
The next day, a group of Acehnese legislators rejected the new
\nlabel, saying that GAM was just a group of Acehnese people who
\ncampaign for independence.<\/p>\n
They said such a label could lead to stigmatization, that
\ncould be used as a justification for the military to launch
\nanother military operation in Aceh.<\/p>\n
Munir, one of the Kontras founders, also lamented the
\ngovernment's moves to revive the military approach, saying that
\nit would only bring more casualties.<\/p>\n
He emphasized that the leaders, both military and political,
\nhad never learned the history of the cycle of conflict in Aceh.<\/p>\n
Past rulers, from the Dutch colonial government to President
\nSukarno and President Soeharto had all adopted iron-fisted
\nmilitary approaches to deal with the desire for independence
\namong the Acehnese, but none have ever extinguished it.<\/p>\n
The transitional government of B.J. Habibie lifted the
\nmilitary operation imposed by his predecessor, Soeharto.<\/p>\n
The ensuing administration of Abdurrahman Wahid pursued a
\npeaceful solution for Aceh by opening a dialog with GAM.<\/p>\n
However, Abdurrahman later had to issue a presidential decree
\nthat gave the military another free hand to operate in Aceh.<\/p>\n
This decree was then extended by Megawati. The extended decree
\nexpires this month.<\/p>\n
Megawati is considering the adoption of a total military
\napproach to end the conflict once and for all.<\/p>\n
Riefqi Muna of the Research Institute for Democracy and Peace
\n(RIDeP) was very disappointed by Megawati's fierce approach.<\/p>\n
\"This is a setback in the effort to create a peaceful solution
\nin Aceh,\" Riefqi told The Jakarta Post by phone.<\/p>\n
According to Riefqi, the situation had shown the public of the
\ngovernment's inconsistency.<\/p>\n
Citing last month's peace talks in Geneva, Riefqi said that
\nthe government and GAM should have followed up on the peace
\ndialog rather than launching military operations.<\/p>\n
During the peace talks, both Jakarta and GAM agreed to fully
\nexecute Law No.18\/2001 on Aceh's special autonomy as a starting
\npoint for further negotiations to find a peaceful solution.<\/p>\n
The autonomy law gives Aceh higher oil and gas revenues and
\nthe opportunity to implement Sharia law.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/military-operation-will-only-take-toll-on-civilians-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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