Aceh governor asks for military to pull out

Aceh governor asks for military to pull out

JAKARTA (JP): Aceh Governor Syamsuddin Mahmud has written to
President B.J. Habibie asking for the Armed Forces (ABRI) to
withdraw its troops from the westernmost province and that its
status as a military operations area be lifted.

Antara quoted spokesman Natsir Ali as saying in the capital
Banda Aceh yesterday that copies of the letter, dated July 29,
had also been sent to the House speaker, coordinating minister
for political affairs and security, minister of home affairs, and
minister of defense/Armed Forces commander.

The request was made, Syamsuddin reportedly said, because of
the growing demand by Acehnese that the status be revoked as the
military presence has led to public fear.

Now that the security situation is improving and development
programs proceeding fairly well, the presence of troops from
outside Aceh is felt to be disturbing "because of actions which
only cause the public to feel unsafe."

The status of military operations area, formally known as Red
Net Operation, had been abused by individuals or units of the
military to commit "excesses" which were against the soldiers'
oath, Syamsuddin said.

"If this situation continued, the Acehnese people would always
be haunted by fear and insecurity," he said. "This is what has
led the people's demand that the status be revoked."

Aceh, Irian Jaya and East Timor are all military operations
areas. The status enables the army to facilitate the suppression
of separatism in the three provinces.

Syamsuddin explained in his letter that the status of military
operations area was first slapped on Aceh in 1991 following
outbreaks of armed rebellions by groups later labeled a Security
Disturbances Group (GPK). The areas of rebellion expanded from
Aceh Utara to Aceh Timur and Pidie regencies.

In 1991, a group seized 21 weapons and killed 20 ABRI
personnel engaged in a public service operation. Concerned, the
then governor, Ibrahim Hasan, asked then president Soeharto to
deploy extra military forces in the area to restore security and
to turn it into a military operations area.

Syamsuddin did not say how many troops were still deployed in
Aceh.

In June, the National Commission on Human Rights promised to
investigate reports that more than 39,000 Acehnese have died in
military operations over the past decade and that 1,000 others
are still in military detention in the province. Non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) have also reported torture and sadistic
murders.

A group of legislators are currently in Aceh to investigate
reports of disappearances of people over the past ten years and
of military abuse of locals suspected of involvement in
secessionist movements.

Led by Hari Sabarno of the Armed Forces (ABRI) faction, the
group met with people who claimed to be survivors of military
abuse, or whose relatives disappeared in military operations. The
group, however, failed to meet with 14 political prisoners in
Lhokseumawe prison, Aceh Utara.

The prisoners refused to meet with the legislators
individually, Antara said, insisting they speak as a group.

The Armed Forces had admitted that some people died as the
side effects of the military operations. (swe)