Acehnese worry about state of emergency

Acehnese worry about state of emergency

Ibu Mat Noor and Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

The possible imposition of a state of emergency in Aceh has
prompted large numbers of young male Acehnese to flee the
conflict-torn province over the past few days.

The Banda Aceh intercity bus terminal has been crowded with
Acehnese males wishing to leave for Medan in North Sumatra and
other cities on Sumatra island.

An agent for the Atrabu Bus Company on Jl. Mohd Djam, Banda
Aceh, told The Jakarta Post on Monday that the number of
passengers leaving for Medan had increased sharply since the
weekend.

"The current situation has already stopped us from working
freely on our farms, and things will get worse if a state of
emergency is imposed in Aceh," said Karimuddin, 31, at the Banda
Aceh intercity bus terminal.

Karimuddin, a farmer hailing from Garot village, Indrajaya,
Pidie, was waiting for a bus going to Medan for fear that he
would be caught in the crossfire between the military and the
Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

"We are afraid we will be accused of sympathizing with GAM.
It's better for us to get out of Aceh," he said.

"If there is armed contact between the security forces and
GAM, we farmers are always the victims," said Karimuddin, adding
that young males in his area had been leaving their homes ever
since the government adopted a hard-line stance against GAM.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri instructed Aceh Military
commander Maj. Gen. Djali Yusuf last Wednesday to crush the
Acehnese secessionist movement, which has been fighting for
independence since the 1970s.

Megawati's instruction was followed by a statement from
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono that the government had almost lost hope of
achieving a peaceful solution to the Aceh question as violence
continued to plague the province.

He also labeled the rebels terrorists.

"We have to explain to the world that enough is enough. The
poor security situation in Aceh has been going on for too long,"
Susilo said.

The government's hard-line stance raised speculation that it
would soon impose a state of emergency in the country's
westernmost province.

Anto, a driver plying the Banda Aceh-Medan route, expressed
fears on Monday that the imposition of a state of emergency in
Aceh would worsen the illegal collection of protection money by
military personnel along the route.

"I have been paying hundreds of thousands daily to military
personnel along the way. If a military emergency is imposed in
Aceh, there will be more troops along the road, which means I
will have to pay even more," Anto told the Post on Monday.

Taufik, a contractor, was also worried about the plan, and
questioned whether a state of emergency would bring peace to the
province.

"Before I had to pay protection money to both the TNI and GAM.
I hope that if a state of emergency is imposed in Aceh, all these
fees will be eliminated. If the illegal collections continue, the
state of emergency will just be a big lie," he said.

Muhammad Saleh, a businessman in the provincial capital Aceh,
said on Monday that many businesspeople had left the province,
mostly for Medan.

Saleh said businesspeople in Aceh always found themselves in a
very difficult position as they were extorted by the TNI, police
and GAM.

"Our position will become more difficult if a state of
emergency is instituted," said Saleh, admitting that he had given
donations to GAM on several occasions out of fear for his life.

He said, however, that he and his fellow businessmen had to
give donations to the military as well to avoid the impression
that they supported the secessionist movement.

"We don't want to be accused of symphatizing with GAM," Saleh
said.