Aceh conflict and school arson

Aceh conflict and school arson

It is as clear as daylight that an armed conflict will only
bring suffering to the people. Governor Abdullah Puteh has warned
all parties recently to end their armed conflicts, as required by
the deal made in Geneva. One of the points of the agreement
reached following the negotiations between the government and the
Free Aceh Movement (GAM) was the cessation of the fighting and a
movement towards an all-inclusive dialog. "We are still
witnessing the burning of schools and kidnappings, though," the
governor lamented.

Earlier this week, for example, two more secondary schools in
Guegajah, Aceh Besar regency, were burnt to the ground, bringing
the total number of school buildings torched since the conflict
first flared up in 1989 to 550.

UNICEF has provided 153 tents to allow students to continue
their studies. How will these young people absorb knowledge while
at the same time waiting for the shooting to break out?

President Megawati Soekarnoputri's order to the security
forces to take resolute action in Aceh should be placed in the
above context. As Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu has
said, this resolute action will be directed against those wishing
to secede from the republic. This may be interpreted as saying
that the security status of Aceh should be changed to that of a
civil emergency and, finally, a military emergency.

However, if those in charge of security think that the current
government in Aceh can still work, the problem then must lie in
law enforcement. Whoever causes trouble must be immediately
brought to trial.

-- Suara Karya, Jakarta