ABRI 'cannot follow up Aceh rights abuses'
ABRI 'cannot follow up Aceh rights abuses'
By Ridwan Max Sijabat
JAKARTA (JP): The Acehnese, still hurting from the violence
inflicted during the years of antiseparatist military operations,
are now demanding justice.
Many Acehnese leaders have said that Armed Forces (ABRI)
Commander Gen. Wiranto's apologies last August mean nothing
unless past rights abuse cases are resolved.
The following is an excerpt from an interview with Chief of
Army Strategic Reserves Command Lt. Gen. Djamari Chaniago during
a Hercules C-130 flight from Lhokseumawe in Aceh to Jakarta on
Friday.
Question: What do you think about the demands for justice that
the Acehnese are making?
Answer: The military operation in Aceh was part of the 32-year
New Order government's policy of maintaining national stability,
which was considered a prerequisite for economic development
programs at the time. Former president Soeharto declared Aceh,
East Timor and Irian Jaya as military operation zones (DOM) to
put down separatist groups in the three provinces.
The military operation in Aceh, which began in 1978, was aimed
at quashing Free Aceh separatist rebels and winning over the
local people's hearts to support a united republic, the
government and the development program.
During the military operations in the jungles and remote areas
of Aceh, troops were not always able to discern rebels from the
ordinary people because they were all living together in
villages. And this caused many victims to fall.
How many people were killed during the military operations?
During the operations, troops and rebels were involved in
shootings. There was an exchange of fire, causing many deaths on
both sides.
It is wrong for the Aceh people to demand that ABRI be solely
responsible for the deaths. Many troops were also killed in the
operations.
Of course, ABRI has admitted to have committed murders, but
not all of the deaths should be blamed on the military. They
should be blamed on the separatist groups too.
Last year, the National Commission of Human Rights discovered
human remains in mass graves. It said more than 781 people were
killed during the military operations.
ABRI is of the opinion that both ABRI and the (separatist)
guerrillas committed murders. Besides, the Dutch (colonial)
troops also killed many people when they were trying to occupy
the province in the early years of this century. The people
cannot therefore ask ABRI to be held responsible for all these
deaths.
Many have testified about the military using brutal tactics in
its raids.
Troops were forced to commit 'sadism' because they, too, were
treated sadistically. Troops were trained in the battlefield,
where they had to take revenge if fellow soldiers were beheaded.
So it will be impossible for the government and the military to
follow up the findings of the rights bodies.
It would be better for the nation to leave the past behind it,
and to draw a line separating the present from the past, so that
it can work hard to defuse the current crisis and to develop the
country. An investigation into the rights violations will bring
nothing but prolonged polemics.
Do you believe the majority of the people of Aceh want to
build an independent state?
Just like in Irian Jaya and East Timor, the separatist groups
are a minority and their campaign for the majority's sympathy
will not be successful.
The separatist group led by Ahmad Kandang in North Aceh has
around 100 armed members. Its activities are financed by Hasan
Tiro (a separatist leader said to be living in Sweden), and a
small Aceh community living in Malaysia. A number of their
members have been trained in Libya. Their present activities are
based on terrorism and intimidation.
I believe, however, they will not be able to persuade or force
the Acehnese to support their movement because they would face
resistance from the majority who still support a united
Indonesia.
This is also true considering the history of Aceh, which has
given considerable moral and material contributions to the
country since before independence (in 1945) until now. This is
the special pride of the Acehnese.
Many Aceh people are still angry about ABRI's brutality.
ABRI's poor performance and its poor image has a lot to do
with the government's policies in the province in the past.
In this era of reform, ABRI will continue to revamp its
organization and reposition itself in term of its dual function
in defense and politics.
Please bear in mind that ABRI has lifted the military
operation zone status, and has begun to employ a more humane
approach in handling problems in the predominantly Muslim
province. It has pulled out a majority of combat soldiers from
the province. This is expected to indirectly help regain the
people's confidence in the government and the military.
Some Acehnese religious leaders, students and non-governmental
organizations have said that troops continue to use the same
approach to security, and still oppress the people.
It is not ABRI's policy.
ABRI has also encouraged people to report to ABRI leaders any
servicemen committing crimes or treating them inhumanely. It must
be acknowledged that many troops are still arrogant and abuse
their power to extort people. Such attitudes and actions should
be stopped, because ... the main task of security personnel is
to ... maintain security and protect the people.
The economic crisis has hit low-ranking servicemen, and many
have chosen to commit crimes such as robbery, extortion and theft
because they do not know how to make additional income.
How do you think ABRI should win back people's hearts?
ABRI should develop better communication with the Acehnese and
take a humane approach which is suitable to the culture of Aceh.
ABRI should start sending troops to coffee shops where
Acehnese people talk about politics and their daily problems.
Here, soldiers should talk with the people about everything,
including discussing the mission of ABRI in the province.
From what I know about the Acehnese -- as I was stationed here
from 1979 to 1981 and from 1982 to 1984 -- they are
temperamental, but honest and loyal.