Aceh emergency extended for 6 months

Aceh emergency extended for 6 months

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has extended the civil state
of emergency in Aceh for up to six months after securing approval
from the House of Representatives (DPR).

Speaking after a four-hour meeting with House leaders,
including faction and commission heads, Susilo said the extension
was necessary to encourage order in the province.

"To keep the momentum for peace, the current emergency status
will be extended for six months at the most, with a monthly
review for a possible change of status to one of civil order,"
Susilo said.

The current civil emergency, which ends on Nov. 18 at
midnight, was imposed on May 18 following a year of martial law
aimed at stamping out the secessionist Free Aceh Movement (GAM),
which has been fighting for Aceh's independence from Indonesia
since 1976.

Under the emergency, local authorities can freely censor the
press and issue curfews and house searches at will.

While martial law in Aceh no longer exists, operations against
GAM rebels in the province have continued unabated. Security
officers now put the size of the surviving GAM force at about
2,500 guerrillas and estimate they have about 850 weapons. At the
start of the military campaign last year TNI officers estimated
GAM rebels numbered about 5,000.

Susilo said along with the extension, the government would
take new measures to end conflict in Aceh and ensure the full
implementation of special autonomy in the province.

"We will issue detailed information about how to end conflicts
and improve the implementation of special autonomy. We will also
maintain the comprehensive operations in the province," Susilo
said.

During martial law, the government introduced what it called
an "integrated operation", which included laws supposed to
empower regional administrations, enforce existing laws, and curb
military excesses.

Activists, however, have called the laws window dressing and
said they were meaningless when the military remained in control
in many areas and civilians were often in a state of siege.

"These operations will remain, but we will find measures to
improve and speed up the program in line with special autonomy,"
Susilo said.

House Speaker Agung Laksono said the House understood the need
to extend the civil emergency but stressed there should be a
thorough evaluation each month so as to end the status as soon as
possible.

Susilo is expected to issue the presidential decree on
Thursday (today) before flying to Santiago, Chile, to attend the
APEC Summit.

Meanwhile, United Development Party (PPP) faction leader Endin
Soefihara said there were several questions raised by House
members during the consultation, including the status of the
ongoing investigation of Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh in
connection with corruption charges.

"We asked the government inform us of the legal status of the
governor and about the process of the investigation. We also
questioned the reason for the extension (of the emergency) and
the transparency measures regarding the funds allocated for the
operation," Endin said after the meeting.

However, he underlined that the House was not in the position
to approve or reject the decision extending the emergency.

When asked about the possibility of the government talking
with GAM leaders, Endin said while no specifics were discussed at
the meeting, House members agreed that no talks should include
foreign parties.

"Any peace dialog should be conducted without intervention or
any facilitation by foreign agencies -- it should be directly
between the government and the separatist movement," he said.

Former president Megawati Soekarnoputri first imposed the
martial law following the failure of peace talks between the
government and GAM leaders in Sweden.