Acehnese are Indonesians, too

Acehnese are Indonesians, too

My fears have been sadly borne out over these long years.
Nowhere in Indonesia is more violence sustained on a daily basis
than in Aceh because of military and separatist operations since
1989. Far from trying to soothe the Aceh problem, irresponsible
soldiers, whose conduct Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen.
Wiranto once admitted "exceeded acceptable norms", are coming
back again.

ABRI's failure to solve the problem lawfully tragically stoked
the fires in the Lhok Nibong bloody incidents in East Aceh, in
which seven off-duty military personnel died. Before too long,
the North Aceh Police, who were involved in the Wibawa Operation
(which many in Aceh consider an ABRI euphemism for brutal and
barbaric operations in the province), took revenge by killing
many helpless civilians, among them a one-year-old baby and a
grandmother. Hundreds of innocent civilians were left seriously
injured.

On Jan. 7, 1999, Gen. Wiranto told the House of
Representatives that he would take cultural and religious
approaches in solving the problem of Aceh.

Do you know what has happened to the helpless Acehnese through
Gen. Wiranto's new genial approaches? On Jan. 9, ABRI conducted
the Wibawa '99 Operation in Meunasah Blang, Kandang, arrested at
least 38 Acehnese and took them for interrogation to the
Indonesian Youth National Committee building which is located
just beside Col. Johnny Wahab's office of the Lilawangsa Military
Command. After the interrogation, a group of 50 soldiers cowardly
and brutally beat the innocent and helpless Acehnese, causing the
deaths of two people at the site, and later another two died in
Tjoet Meutia General Hospital, Lhokseumawe. The rest were
severely injured, with some left in critical condition.

I believe ABRI has the right to do its job, including through
the Wibawa '99 Operation of cultural and religious approaches in
Aceh. Yet, from the facts, we can see a lot of casualties have
fallen among the innocent Acehnese. ABRI's actions, despite its
argument to enforce the security and stability for Aceh, are
actually something that will leave a legacy which is more
volatile than the condition it seeks to cure.

Indonesia is a country of law, where everybody has equal
rights before the law. As Indonesians, the Acehnese could never
understand why the ABRI personnel who committed crimes during the
military operation in Aceh from 1989 to 1998 could continue
enjoying their freedom without having to face trial.

That is why it is very important for Gen. Wiranto to
immediately arrest and put them on trial. Otherwise, ABRI
personnel will think they can simply go in to Aceh and kill any
Acehnese as they wish, without fear of facing consequences under
Indonesian law. If Gen. Wiranto cannot do his job, he should
resign because it means he is not good to the Acehnese as well as
to the country.

NASRULLAH DAHLAWY

Lhokseumawe, Aceh