Acehnese flock in district offices to get new IDs

The Jakarta Post, Lhokseumawe, Aceh

People in Bireuen regency flocked to their respective district offices on Wednesday and Thursday to apply for new ID cards, in one of the first places in war-torn Aceh where the martial law administration is attempting to separate separatist rebels from civilians.

In Jeumpa district, more than a hundred residents from three villages gathered at a makeshift district office to register themselves for the new card on Wednesday. Some had been patiently waiting for hours.

"I just do what authorities tell me to do, so I come here," said 51-year-old Tarmizi from Juli Cut Masjid village.

The new ID cards would replace the existing ones for as long as the province is under martial law.

The military has said that its operation against the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) should take six months.

The issuance of new ID cards is one of the military ruler's efforts to control the Acehnese and separate GAM rebels from the general population.

The other measures include the "evacuation" of villagers from areas controlled or formerly controlled by GAM to prepared refugee camps.

The military administration is also screening civil servants in Aceh as the military suspects many are linked to GAM.

The idea to distribute new ID cards followed reports of GAM collecting the ID cards from villagers to hamper government security checks. Most GAM members have no identification.

Applicants for the new cards must have their credentials checked by the local police office to ensure the applicant has no ties to GAM. Authorities hope this will help them identify rebels who try to pass themselves off as civilians.

Slightly bigger in size and printed in red and white, the new card is signed by the village head, the district chief, and the district police and military chief. Normal ID cards are signed only by the district chief.

Ishak Teungku M.Z., a village chief from Meunanah Blang, Peudada district, said he had signed the forms for 30 applicants so far. These applicants would then go to the district offices to get the ID cards.

The cards are free of charge and the process of acquiring one takes about one to two days, said Jeumpa district chief Agus Salim, who oversees 21 villages.

He said that between 10,000 to 15,000 people of age in his district would be applying for the new cards. The registration process is divided into seven days for three villages, starting on Wednesday with the villages of Cut Juli Masjid, Juli Seuteuy, and Juli Tambo Tanjung .

Agus said it may take about a month to replace all the cards.

Around 25 percent of the 10,000 to 15,000 people seeking cards had lost theirs, Agus said. He would not say whether they were taken away by GAM.