Aceh needs referendum: Rights body

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.