Abandon military campaign: Acehnese
By Ibnu Mat Noor
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Pleas for the government to abandon its military campaign in this wartorn province figured prominently in Saturday's closed-door meeting between Acehnese figures and visiting President Megawati Soekarnoputri, sources told The Jakarta Post.
Meanwhile, response to the visit has been mixed, with one Free Aceh Movement (GAM) member saying it had only increased the frustration of Acehnese people.
About 100 community members screened by Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh were granted a one-hour meeting with the President at the governor's house, however, only six of them had an opportunity to speak personally with Megawati.
"The more troops coming to Aceh, the more unarmed civilians will be killed. Therefore, the 2001 Presidential Decree No. 4 should be revoked," a source quoted Abdul Gani Nurdin, the only non-governmental organization (NGO) activist out of the six, as saying.
The Yadesa chairman was referring to Inpres No. 4, 2001, issued in April in which former president Abdurrahman Wahid instructed senior officials to look for a comprehensive solution to the Aceh problem.
Nurdin said that there was too much past evidence indicating that violence could never resolve Aceh's problems.
The former member of the now banned Monitoring Team of Humanitarian Action was also reportedly asking for compensation for civilians who had been shot by military personnel.
"All the perpetrators and their leaders responsible for the crimes have to be tried in a fair and transparent way," Nurdin was quoted as saying.
Nurdin also reportedly asked Megawati to fulfill the nine promises made by former president B.J. Habibie.
"Only one was fulfilled, that is the expansion of Sultan Iskandar Muda airport," he said.
The five others who managed to deliver their views to Megawati were Tengku Daud Zamzami, an ulema leader; Tengku Imam Syuja' from the Muhammadiyah Muslim organization; Dahlan Sulaiman, a businessman; Muslim, a youth representative; and an unidentified woman.
Calls for dialog came from at least two people, Tengku Daud Zamzami, vice chairman of the Aceh Ulema Council, and Tengku Imam Syuja', Muhammadiyah's chairman in Aceh. Zamzami reiterated the need for both the military and GAM to hold a cease-fire at once.
"If my suggestion is accepted, I am convinced that peace will return to Aceh," Zamzami was quoted as saying. In addition, sources said, Zamzami asked for the 2001 Inpres No. 4 to be revised.
Zamzami also offered the preparedness of Aceh ulema to mediate a meeting between the government and GAM leaders.
"The government should first facilitate a meeting between Aceh ulema and Tengku Hasan Tiro, GAM's leader based in Sweden," he was quoted as saying by a Post source.
Muslim told Megawati to involve young people in efforts to resolve the Aceh issue.
"As young people, we refuse to become mere spectators," he was reported as saying.
The unidentified woman was reported to have explained the sufferings of Acehnese women due to the prolonged conflict.
"Hopefully Ibu President is seriously concerned about them," she was quoted as saying.
Dahlan, who is the chairman of Aceh's branch of the Indonesian Chamber of Trade and Industry, said that he hoped Megawati would soon issue a directive conferring autonomy status on Sabang port as promised.
Among the estimated 100 people who met Megawati were legislators, ulema, university rectors, NGO activists, youth activists, women activists, businessmen, adat (traditional) leaders and 13 regents and mayors. Conspicuously absent was Aceh legislature chairman Muhammad Yus.
Megawati reportedly promised to take their suggestions to the Cabinet meeting to help the government seek a solution to the Aceh turmoil.
In a related development, five community leaders of South Aceh were abducted by an armed group, believed to be GAM members, while they were returning home from the meeting with Megawati Saturday.
Aceh's Law and Order Operation spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Sad Harunantyo told the Post by phone Sunday that the five men abducted were Tengku M. Daud Alsufi, Jajuli Al Jaelani, Tengku Muhammad Yunus Toyibi, Tengku Muchlisin bin T.M. Daud Al Subi and Agusman.