Military repeating old mistakes in Aceh: Researcher<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): A continued military presence in Aceh will
\nnot only fail to end violence and terror, but will even worsen
\nhuman rights abuses and prolong people's sufferings there, a
\nresearcher said.<\/p>\n
The Director of the Center for Security and Peace Studies
\nunder the Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Samsu Rizal Panggabean
\nblamed President B.J. Habibie for giving excessive power to the
\nmilitary in handling Aceh problems without proper control.<\/p>\n
\"The domination of the military in handling Aceh under
\nHabibie's administration has made a peaceful solution to Aceh
\neven further from reality,\" Panggabean said in discussion on
\nAceh, organized by The Jakarta Post and the Indonesian Legal Aid
\nand Human Rights Association (PBHI).<\/p>\n
The scholar said the Indonesian Military (TNI) had failed to
\nlearn from its failure in the 1989-1998 military operations in
\nAceh and the deployment of Crack Riot Troops (PPRM). Citing the
\nexperiences of other countries, the scholar said military
\nrepressive practices would only trigger disintegration and
\nseparatist movements.<\/p>\n
\"Military repression by a country facing a disintegration
\nthreat, will accelerate separatism,\" Panggabean said.<\/p>\n
Lance Castles, also a lecturer at UGM from the Australian
\nNational University, criticized the government for responding to
\nthe demands of Acehnese for justice, autonomy and a fairer
\ndistribution of wealth, with a military approach.<\/p>\n
Castles also pointed out it would be difficult to create peace
\nin Aceh, because both TNI, Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and other
\nseparatist groups had \"unrealistic demands\" on their rivals.<\/p>\n
He said it was not realistic for the separatist movement to
\ndemand for a total military withdrawal from the province and the
\ntrial of all military personnel involved in human rights abuses.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile TNI and the government, Castles said, \"look down on
\nthe significance and existence of the Aceh separatist movement
\nand the government feels it is not proper for them to negotiate
\n(with these groups) for a peaceful settlement to Aceh.\"<\/p>\n
Also on Tuesday, another police member, Sgt. Maj. Tarigan, was
\nshot and killed in Pidie regency and another, Sgt.Maj. Sartono,
\nsustained critical shot wounds to his chest and back.<\/p>\n
Both were brought to the Sigli hospital in Sigli, the capital
\nof Pidie. TNI Commander Gen. Wiranto said last week 43 security
\npersonnel members have been killed in Aceh.<\/p>\n
Pidie police chief Lt.Col. Endang E. Bagus said the incident
\ntook place at 5:30 p.m. at the police post in Melayu village in
\nIndrajaya district, some eight kilometers to the west of Sigli.<\/p>\n
\"They were shot by unknown men on motorcycles and the weapon
\nused has been identified as an FM-46,\" he said.<\/p>\n
On Sunday an unidentified group burned down five houses in
\nTangse, Pidie whose owners were in refugee shelters. According to
\nRusli Bukhari, a refugee who only knew of the condition of their
\nhomes on Tuesday, the houses were set ablaze after the doors had
\nbeen painted with red crosses by unknown people. The signs are
\nwarnings that the homes will be set on fire.<\/p>\n
AFP reported Tuesday that two dead victims were found in the
\nBayu subdistrict, Lhokseumawe, late Monday. One had his throat
\nslit and the other was shot in the back, rights activist and
\nlawyer M. Yacob Hamzah said.<\/p>\n
One of the victims was an imam of the local mosque while the
\nother was a farmer from Meunasah Blang Kandang village, he said.
\n(44\/23\/prb)<\/p>",
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