Activists call for political dialog with government on Aceh

JAKARTA (JP): Representatives from a number of organizations in Aceh on Saturday urged political dialog with the Indonesian government to help put an end to the violence in the province and attain independence from Jakarta.

The call came at a meeting in Bangkok attended by representatives from various Aceh-based groups. The meeting was aimed at finding solutions to the violence in Indonesia's westernmost province, Antara reported on Sunday.

Aceh human rights activist Ibrahim Abdullah suggested a political dialog take place with Jakarta, mediated by an international authority.

However, Carmel Budiardjo, head of London-based non- governmental organization Tahanan Politik, said such a dialog would never occur unless certain conditions were first fulfilled. These conditions include an end to human rights violations in Aceh and a withdrawal of Indonesia's military from the province, she said.

Also attending the meeting were representatives of the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok, the Thai foreign ministry and Thai police.

Five officials from the office of the Aceh governor were also at the meeting but did not want to be identified as government representatives, organizers said.

An official from the Aceh-Sumatra National Liberation Front, Zaini Abdullah, said Aceh was not merely a province of Indonesia, but was a sovereign Islamic state before the Dutch colonized the region.

"We are not establishing a new state or breaking away from Indonesia," Zaini Abdullah said at the meeting.

Human rights workers said tension and human rights violations in the province were rampant. From April to July this year, about 360 people have been killed in violent incidents, according to a worker with the International Forum for Aceh.

A representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said violence in the province had displaced about 40,000 to 60,000 people who needed immediate assistance from the international community.

Meanwhile, activists from at least 22 organizations in Aceh are calling for a peaceful strike on Aug. 4 and Aug. 5 if the authorities fail to withdraw the Crack Riot Troops (PPRM) deployed to quell separatist rebels in the province.

In a statement made available on Saturday, the organizations also demanded the pullout of combat troops and the revival of the Iskandar Muda Military Command overseeing the province. Currently, Aceh is under the Bukit Barisan Military Command, which also oversees North Sumatra.

The group urged members of the public from all walks of life, except for medical workers and aid volunteers, to stay at home and refrain from any activity on Aug. 4 and Aug. 5.

Among the organizations calling for the strike are students from Solidarity for Aceh People, the Independent Election Monitoring Committee and Aceh's Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence.

"Acehnese have been living in misery, fear and terror ... it's time to stand up together against the tyranny," the organizations stated. "Let every one of us, students, teachers, villagers, religious leaders, laborers, vendors and employers, join the strike."

The planned strike is meant to paralyze economic activity in the province, thereby putting pressure on the government and giving the Acehnese leverage in their fight for their rights, the group said.

A similar call for the pullout of the military from Aceh was voiced in Yogyakarta. Students in the Forum of Aceh Students Solidarity began on Saturday a three-day demonstration of support for Aceh at Gadjah Mada University. They erected a tent where they showed pictures of victims of violence in Aceh and unfurled banners which read, among other things, "Wiranto, stop the killing." This was in reference to Indonesian Military Commander Gen. Wiranto.

The authorities, however, said it was not possible to pull out the riot troops because of security concerns in the province.

"If PPRM is pulled out from the villages, the Acehnese separatist guerrillas will be free to roam the area, causing severe security disturbances," Aceh Police chief Col. Bachrumsyah told Antara Friday night.

Bachrumsyah said once the riot troops were withdrawn from the villages, separatists would rule. "And God knows what they would do to the residents if they (rebels) were free to do anything there."

He said police had so far arrested 34 people accused of provoking violence in the province, adding that the number was far lower than people expected.

Over the past few months, an estimated 75,000 Acehnese have fled their homes to mosques and schools, citing fear of military violence. Volunteers fear many more residents will be displaced because there is no sign the troops will be withdrawn.

Meanwhile, volunteers from almost all of the 13 refugee centers housing around 54,000 people have reported declining supplies of food and medicine.

"There is just enough rice for tomorrow morning," read one short message from a student at one of the shelters housing at least 1,000 residents.

"Sprays for flies; education material; clean water...," read a list from another center. Mats and other material for accommodating refugees are also high on the list of needed supplies.

Student volunteers at the centers also face the risk of being arrested on charges of sympathizing with the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM). People claiming to be GAM members often come to the centers asking for food and cigarettes. The military often comes to the centers looking for separatists, and demand refugees show their identity cards.

Meanwhile, violence in Aceh continues. Residents in Sigli, the capital of Pidie regency in Aceh, said it would be difficult to find public transportation on Sunday, after a bus conductor was beaten by soldiers on Friday.

Separately, Ali Zainun was reportedly shot on Saturday in Delima district when he tried to run after failing to show his identity card at a military roadblock. (23/anr/edt/swe)