ABRI to withdraw troops from Aceh
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Commander (ABRI) Gen. Wiranto pledged yesterday to withdraw troops deployed in Aceh and apologized for misconduct by soldiers while stationed there.
"I have given the commander of the (Bukit Barisan) Regional Military (covering Aceh) Command one month to withdraw all troops apart from the territorial units," Wiranto said in Lhokseumawe, 268 kilometers east of the provincial capital of Banda Aceh, where he was on a one-day visit.
No immediate information was available on the number of troops to be pulled out or the date of the withdrawal.
"As the ABRI commander, I have decided to put the security of Aceh in the hands of the people of Aceh, namely the ulemas, community leaders, teachers, government officials and all of its community, including all ABRI units belonging to the regional police and military resort commands," he said.
He expressed hope that members of separatist groups in Aceh could be persuaded to abandon their activities and participate in development programs.
As quoted by Antara, Wiranto said the situation in Aceh was relatively secure, but "frankly and realistically, we have to admit that a few armed security disturbance gangs still exist and I think ABRI has to further reduce their number."
Last week Aceh Governor Syamsuddin Mahmud wrote to President B.J. Habibie asking for a withdrawal of troops from the province and that its status as a military operations area be lifted.
Afrizal Tjutra, executive secretary of the Aceh Non- Governmental Organizations Forum, told The Jakarta Post by telephone that during his visit Wiranto also held talks with local authorities and human rights groups over human rights violations in the westernmost province.
In a statement made available to the Post, the Forum said Wiranto "apologized for the conduct of the troops while they were assigned in Aceh".
It said that Wiranto did not rule out that during the course of their duty, troops may have acted in a way that exceeded acceptable norms.
The statement said Wiranto also promised to push for an amnesty for Acehnese political prisoners on Aug. 17, Indonesia's independence day.
Since the resignation of President Soeharto in May and the prevailing new climate of openness, frequent reports of human rights violations going back to the early 1990s, allegedly committed by military units in Aceh, have surfaced.
Reported atrocities include abductions, rapes, torture, and extra-judicial killings.
The Armed Forces stepped up its operations in Aceh in the early 1990s in response to increased activity by separatist groups -- collectively termed by the government Security Disturbances Groups (GPK) -- fighting for an independent Aceh.
Wiranto however called on his subordinates yesterday to replace the term with "Wild Disturbance Groups" (Gerombolan Pengacau Liar).
Rights activists say most of the violations occurred in North Aceh, East Aceh and Pidie regencies, which fall under the supervision of the Lilawangsa Military Resort.
Afrizal said in a twelve-page report made available to the Post that at least 94 people died and 348 were missing as a result of military operations in the three regencies since the early 1990s.
The National Commission on Human Rights said in June it was investigating reports that more than 39,000 Acehnese have died in military operations over the past decade and 1,000 are still in military detention in the province.
Reports have also been rampant of a site known locally as "Skull Hill" in North Aceh, which was said to have been a torture site and mass grave used by the military.
The rights body is to send a four-member team to the province later this month. (byg)