TNI concerned by weapons entering Aceh<\/p>\n
SURABAYA (JP): Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen.
\nWiranto claimed on Friday there was a recent increase in weapon
\nsmuggling from overseas to Acehnese separatist guerrillas.<\/p>\n
He did not go into detail, but said: "TNI, with all its might,
\nis continuing its effort to prevent the flow, so the Aceh
\nquestion need not be protracted."<\/p>\n
Speaking after installing Vice Adm. Achmad Sutjipto as the
\nnavy chief to replace Adm. Widodo A.S. here, Wiranto denied there
\nwere more Crack Riot Troops (PPRM) deployed in the troubled
\nprovince than the number of personnel sent there during the 10-
\nyear-long military operation which began in 1989.<\/p>\n
"It can't be (higher). During the military operation, all of
\nthe personnel deployed were military members. Now police officers
\n(are posted there)," he said.<\/p>\n
"It was a military operation then, but what we have now is a
\npublic order operation. Its commander was a member of the
\nmilitary then, but a police officer now."<\/p>\n
Wiranto explained that 600 marines were sent to Aceh recently
\nto detect and prevent the smuggling. "The marines are more able
\n(for the task) than the Army. I am sure that with other tasks,
\ntoo, they would succeed."<\/p>\n
Antara quoted Wiranto as saying marines were needed because
\nmost of the smuggling was through coastal areas.<\/p>\n
"For security in coastal areas, the force to do the job is the
\nmarines. The marines do not spend their time hanging out in
\ndowntown areas in cities."<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Syamsul Ma'arif said the
\ndemands that the PPRM be pulled out of Aceh because they merely
\nexacerbated the situation was the result of propaganda of the
\nseparatist Free Aceh Movement.<\/p>\n
"In actuality, the Aceh residents want security to be
\nrestored," he said as quoted by Antara. "We all know the GPK use
\nweapons and intimidate the people," he said, using the military's
\nname for the separatists.<\/p>\n
"These (demands) are their propaganda."<\/p>\n
He blasted those responsible for spreading rumors the PPRM
\nwreaked havoc in the province. "It is impossible the TNI and the
\nNational Police would create chaos."<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, a group of activists and Acehnese demonstrated on
\nFriday demanding the military pullout from Aceh. Calling
\nthemselves the Students' Solidarity for Aceh Case (Somaka), the
\nsome 80 youths marched from the Tani monument in Central Jakarta
\nto the nearby ground of National Monument (Monas) carrying five
\nmock coffins.<\/p>\n
In Sumedang, West Java, Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid
\nreiterated that neither the government nor the military would
\nyield to the pressure for the military pullout from Aceh. He said
\nthe military personnel are bound by their oath to protect the
\npeople and the national sovereignty.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Antara reported from the capital Banda Aceh that
\nthe liaison office of the National Commission on Human Rights in
\nAceh would be upgraded to a representative office in August.<\/p>\n
It was confirmed during the arrival of commission members,
\nSaparinah Sadli and Miriam Budiardjo in the province on
\nWednesday, head of the commission's liaison office, Dahlan, said
\non Friday.<\/p>\n
"They came here to follow up on the plan to upgrade the
\nliaison office into a representative office," Dahlan said, adding
\nthe commission members also visited the location of the new
\noffice.<\/p>\n
He said the representative office would be staffed by youth
\nleaders and activists who helped reveal human rights violations
\nwhich occurred in Aceh.<\/p>\n
He declined to name the head of the representative office.<\/p>\n
Dahlan noted the commission decided to open a representative
\noffice because human rights abuses continued to occur, even after
\nthe military operation in the province was halted last year.<\/p>\n
The liaison office was set up early this year following
\nrevelations of human rights violations in the regencies of Pidie,
\nNorth Aceh and East Aceh.<\/p>\n
The opening of the representative office will enable staff
\nmembers to act on reported violations without needing to relay
\nthem to the commission's headquarters in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He explained that the liaison office was not empowered to
\nsettle human rights issues without first reporting them to the
\nmain headquarters.<\/p>\n
In the past few months, an estimated 75,000 Aceh residents
\nhave fled their homes to mosques and schools, citing military
\nviolence. Volunteers fear many more will be displaced because
\nthere is no sign of withdrawal of troops.<\/p>\n
Ethnic clashes also have occurred periodically in West
\nKalimantan. Earlier this year, more than 200 people were killed
\nand thousands forced to flee to refugee centers.<\/p>\n
From the capital city of Pontianak, West Kalimantan Police
\nchief Col. Chairul Rasyid said a "sweep" of firearms in the
\nprovince would continue until about a week before the General
\nSession of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in November.<\/p>\n
"One week before the session, the owners and makers of those
\nfirearms must surrender the weapons. If they fail to abide by the
\ndeadline, tough actions will be taken," he said as quoted by
\nAntara. (04\/43\/nur\/swe)<\/p>",
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