Aceh activists call for end to security operation

Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

Acehnese human rights activists questioned on Monday the effectiveness of Presidential Instruction No. 1/2002 on the Comprehensive Solution to Aceh's Problems to settle the conflict in the province as its six-month deadline nears, while violence remains unabated.

The instruction, issued in January and aimed at coordinating social, economic and security issues to end the separatist movement in the province, has provided justification for the Indonesian Military (TNI) to do whatever it takes to maintain law and order.

"As long as the government keeps the decree alive, violence will continue in the province," Tarmizi, of the Aceh Legal Aid Foundation, said on Monday, while adding there had been hundreds of cases of violence registered by the foundation since January.

He charged that the TNI had used the article on law enforcement to prioritize the use of force instead of dialog in ending the conflict in Aceh.

"Law enforcement should have brought many cases of violence to court, not by conducting raids that sometimes missed their target and victimized common people," Tarmizi added.

He pointed out that the security apparatus had carried out many unlawful arrests against members of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM), without giving any clear reasons.

"It's like a repetition of former military operations," he said, while referring to the imposition of the Military Operation Zone (DOM) in the past.

The instruction was first issued by then president Abdurrahman Wahid in April 2000, after a humanitarian pause agreed by both the government and GAM failed to end clashes in the province.

The instruction focused on economic rehabilitation, law enforcement and all-inclusive talks to end the prolonged conflict.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri maintained the policy and issued an extension to the instruction in January, but as its deadline nears, the all-inclusive talks have yet to be realized and the TNI continues to wage war against the separatist movement.

Tarmizi underlined that it was impossible for the government to conduct talks, but at the same time stepped up pressure against GAM, which is supposed to be the government's dialog partner.

Another activist Abdulrahman Yacob underlined that the continuation of the instruction would backfire, as people would lose their trust in the government.

"The people of Aceh are tired of the violence and it has to end," he remarked.

He cited the traumatic 10-year military operation in Aceh, which ended in 1999. The ongoing law enforcement operation has brought back many bad dreams and memories for a large number of people.

Tarmizi expressed pessimism that the central government would pay attention to the Acehnese concern over the law enforcement operation.

"When the government finally set a date for the talks, they will talk about security and underline the importance of law enforcement to continue the implementation of the instruction," he said.