More groups oppose military action in Aceh<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Cries of opposition against an imminent military operation in
\nAceh have grown louder, as the Indonesian Military (TNI) sends
\nthousands more soldiers to quell separatists in the war-torn
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
Acehnese figures in Jakarta grouped under the Forum for Aceh
\nConcern met with House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar
\nTandjung on Thursday to demand that legislators push for a
\npeaceful solution to the Aceh issue.<\/p>\n
Headed by former House deputy speaker Ismail Hasan Metareum,
\nthe group called on the government to stick to the Cessation of
\nHostilities Agreement (COHA), which it signed with the Free Aceh
\nMovement (GAM) separatists last year.<\/p>\n
\"We thank God for the peace agreement. Aceh's problems can be
\nresolved if the agreement is implemented consistently,\" Metareum
\nsaid during the meeting with Akbar.<\/p>\n
Fellow Acehnese Amran Zamzani accused the Aceh provincial
\nadministration of not doing enough to make the peace accord work.
\nHe said the local administration should have done more to
\ndisseminate the contents of the COHA to the public to ensure all
\nsides stuck to the agreement.<\/p>\n
COHA aims to first put an end to the violence. This largely
\nworked in the first two months, with only sporadic violence
\nmarring the agreement. But the second phase of relocating GAM
\nweapons and TNI moving into a defensive position failed to
\nmaterialize as expected.<\/p>\n
GAM is believed to be holding onto its weapons while violence
\nintensified in some parts of the province by alleged pro-Jakarta
\nmilitias. Many fear the militias were TNI's proxies.<\/p>\n
The level of violence is relatively still low, but it was
\nintensifying in the weeks before the government called for the
\nJoint Council meeting, a last resort to salvage the peace accord.<\/p>\n
Moreover, efforts to get the warring sides to attend the Joint
\nCouncil ran into a brick wall over reasons many called trivial.<\/p>\n
Attempts to make the Joint Council work appear to have also
\ndissipated, overshadowed by war preparations.<\/p>\n
Over 26,000 troops and 14,000 police personnel are stationed
\nin Aceh. Reinforcements are expected in the coming days.<\/p>\n
Acehnese councillors issued on Thursday a statement rejecting
\nthe war plans.<\/p>\n
\"Violence will never lead to a solution, and will only create
\nmore violence,\" said councillor Teuku Syaiful Achmad.<\/p>\n
Fellow legislator Mawardi Abdullah warned that launching a war
\nin Aceh violated People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) decree No.
\nVI\/2002, which mandates the government to maintain talks with GAM
\nand other elements of Aceh's society.<\/p>\n
The MPR is the highest law-making body in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The Acehnese have openly and consistently rejected a new
\nmilitary operation, and are urging Indonesia to return to the
\nnegotiating table.<\/p>\n
A 10-year military operation in Aceh that ended in 1998
\nresulted in thousands of deaths, mainly civilians.<\/p>\n
Despite its rich natural resources, the province remains
\nunderdeveloped and much of its population of 4.2 million is poor.<\/p>\n
Environmental destruction has worsened due to the presence of
\nillegal loggers, in which TNI-owned companies are allegedly
\ninvolved.<\/p>\n
Still, the Acehnese's voices have largely been ignored.
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri turned down a meeting with
\nAcehnese leading figures on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Human rights campaigner Todung Mulya Lubis said separatism
\ncould not be tolerated in any country in the world.<\/p>\n
However, he added, this did not justify military action.<\/p>\n
He also urged the government to stick to the COHA, which was
\nthe product of two years of tough talks under mediation by the
\nSwiss-based Henry Dunant Centre (HDC).<\/p>\n
Violations are normal in any agreement as fragile as the COHA,
\nhe said. \"But any violation should be brought to the Joint
\nCouncil meeting, instead of making the military operation an
\noption,\" Todung told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
President B.J. Habibie revoked the military operation status
\n(DOM) in Aceh in 1998 to ease the suffering of the Acehnese.<\/p>\n
\"We have to take a lesson from the decade of DOM, which has
\nonly inflicted a sense of revenge, injury and pain,\" Todung said.<\/p>\n
Another Acehnese community leader in Jakarta, Mawardi Ismail,
\nsaid he would continue to press for peace despite the ongoing
\nmilitary preparations.<\/p>\n
\"If more people join the antiwar campaign, the government will
\nbe at least careful (in its decision-making),\" Mawardi told the
\nPost.<\/p>",
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