Aceh needs referendum: Rights body
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) urged the government on Wednesday to reconsider its plan to extend martial law in war-torn Aceh, saying that it would only worsen rampant rights violations in the province.
M.M. Billah, chairman of the commission's ad hoc team monitoring Aceh, said that continuing with martial law in Aceh would only lend legitimacy to various abuses, such as extra- judicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture and sexual harassment.
"The government should hold a referendum in Aceh to find out whether or not the majority of the population are truly demanding an extension of the martial law," Billah said, in reference to government statements claiming the Acehnese wanted to live under martial law.
The government decided on Monday to extend the martial law in Aceh, citing demands from the people in that province.
The extension, the length of which will be decided in a plenary Cabinet meeting on Thursday (today), will allow the military to continue its ongoing offensive beyond six months as it originally planned.
Komnas HAM said Wednesday it knew of at least 319 Acehnese civilians that had been killed and 117 injured, since the military launched a massive offensive on May 19. It also said that 108 civilians were still missing. Hundreds of houses and schools had also been burned, but "local administrations have done nothing to rehabilitate" the buildings.
The commission also alleged that martial law had deprived the public of its right to information "by isolating Aceh from both the national and international communities."
"Since the military has the highest authority in Aceh, it issues restrictions banning independent bodies, including non- government organizations, to monitor the ongoing situation in Aceh. It also gives unbalanced information about the ongoing war, so that the press only has access to data provided by the military's media center," Billah said.
On May 19, Megawati issued a decree imposing martial law in the natural resource-rich province for a period of six months, although it is allowed to be extend. It was initially imposed to carry out the so-called joint operation, supposedly comprising a humanitarian mission, the empowerment of local administrations, and greater law enforcement.
Nearly 1,000 suspected separatist rebel fighters have been killed -- according to the military's official figures -- since martial law came into effect. They also have announced the deaths of 67 military and police personnel during the same period.
Separately, speaker of the House of Representatives Akbar Tandjung proposed on Wednesday that the government extend martial law in the province for just four months and lift it before the country holds the legislative election.
The National Elections Commission (KPU) has scheduled the legislative election for April 5 and planned to organize a two- phase presidential election in July and September next year.
Political analyst J. Kristiadi from the Centre of Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said general elections should not be the reason for extending martial law as "it goes against every principle of elections, which give civilians a greater role."
"The extension of martial law will severely limit civilians in Aceh in exercising their political rights because they won't be allowed to campaign or vote in a climate of basic election principles," Kristiadi said referring to five principles of elections -- independent, direct, honest, fair and secret.
"Violations against these principles will only create problems in the future, including the legitimacy of the election itself," Kristiadi was quoted by Antara as saying.