Account on Aceh's martial law urged

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta

Political observers have called on the government to release the accountability report of the one-year martial law and integrated military operation in Aceh, which cost over Rp 2 trillion (US$229.8 million).

Besides questioning the success of the military offensive, they also expressed skepticism about the viability of the state of civil emergency, because the civilian administration had lost confidence of people in the province.

Military analyst Indria Samego of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) and Kusnanto Anggoro of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said on separate occasions on Friday that from the perspective of ethics, President Megawati Soekarnoputri had an obligation to present her accountability report before the People's Consultative Assembly, as she had received approval from the House of Representatives to impose martial law on Aceh.

"Whether (she is) requested or not, the President should present a special report on the one-year martial law and its achievements to the law-making body or the public through the mass media to make it accountable and transparent," Indria told The Jakarta Post.

He regretted that the President appeared reluctant to unveil an accountability report publicly or to instruct a minister or the Indonesian Military (TNI) leadership to do so before the House.

"Both TNI Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto and National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar have been silent on the huge funds used during the martial law in Aceh," he said.

Megawati consulted House leaders before she imposed martial law on May 19, 2003, although the law does not require such a procedure.

Kusnanto said the martial law and the military operation that involved over 40,000 security personnel and sophisticated war machines could not be called a success, since the threat of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) still existed and its leaders remained at large, while most of its weapons had not been confiscated.

"This means that despite the relatively calm situation at present, Aceh could turn tense since the remaining GAM forces -- which is likely dormant -- are regrouping to resume their separatist movement some time in the future," he said.

Unlike Indria, Kusnanto said the military operation played a more dominant role during the martial law than the humanitarian and social rehabilitation operations to improve the Acehnese people's welfare.

"Despite the decline in Aceh's status to a state of civil emergency, there will be no changes because there is no clear guidelines as to the chain of command between the civilian administration and the military. Besides, the Acehnese people will continue living in fear since the military operation is still going on," said Kusnanto.

Indria suggested that the House ask for the government's accountability report on the martial law, but they seemed uninterested "because most of them will finish their terms in October".

"The President apparently considers the Aceh problem among peripheral issues while she concentrates on the July 5 presidential election," he added.

Djoko Susilo, a member of the House Commission I on security, defense and foreign affairs, said the government had already unveiled its account on the martial law in Aceh before the House, but that it had been conducted as a closed-door session so the public remained uniformed about the assessment.

Kusnanto said the President should immediately issue a presidential instruction with certain targets to regulate civil- military ties during the first six months of the state of civil emergency.

"Besides which, the government should continue the social rehabilitation operation to resettle displaced people, provide compensation to those whose families were killed during the military conflict, uphold social justice and resume a dialog with the rebels in an attempt to seek a comprehensive solution to the Aceh issue," he said.