Analysts warn possible negative fallout from killing of German

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Analysts warned the government to prepare for possible negative fallout resulting from the shooting by soldiers of two Germans, one fatal, in conflict-ridden Aceh on Wednesday with call for a thorough investigation into the incident.

Former minister of defense Juwono Sudarsono said the government had to probe the shooting thoroughly to prevent any possible misunderstandings within the international community as has happened in the past when foreign nationals became victims here.

"The government has to probe the incident as the shooting of foreigners may create complicated problems for the related countries," Juwono said as quoted by Antara.

Soldiers shot dead a German citizen, 59-year-old Hendrik Albert and seriously injured his German companion Elisabeth Margareth, 49, in Lhok Gayo, Teumon subdistrict, Aceh Jaya regency at around 9 p.m. on Wednesday evening. Both had been issued tourists visas in May, before the declaration of martial law and reportedly entered Aceh on May 16.

The TNI insisted that the fatal shooting took place after several warning shots and the failure of the pair to respond to verbal orders, before the soldiers finally took aim directly at them.

Three soldiers are facing abuse charges at the military tribunal in Lhokseumawe, North Aceh, for the beating of villagers in a raid against rebels in a village in Bireuen regency on May 27.

The German government, or any other country, has yet to announce any official reaction to the incident.

Acehnese legislator Ahmad Farhan Hamid concurred and said the government should also make it perfectly clear why the shooting happened in an attempt to avoid harsh reactions from foreign countries.

"Foreigners victimized in conflict-ridden areas have usually provoked negative implications as happened in East Timor," Ahmad said.

Indonesia was under world scrutiny for the murder of a Dutch reporter Sander Thoenes in East Timor in 1999, shortly after the Timorese voted for independence.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that the government was fully aware of possible unnecessary misunderstandings over the incident from the international community and vowed to make a complete and objective investigation into the case.

"Of course we will try to prevent this issue from creating misperceptions among the international community," the minister remarked.

The government and the military have been involved in several frays with European countries since the martial law was imposed on May 19 to put down the Free Aceh Movement insurgency.

Jakarta is considering whether to downgrade or sever bilateral ties with Sweden since the Swedish government declined to take action against exiled GAM leaders who have been naturalized as Swedish citizens.

The use of British-made HS-Hawk warplanes in the military operation has also met opposition from British Foreign Office Minister Mike O'Brien who visited Jakarta recently.

However, military analyst Kusnanto Anggoro of the Centre of Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) played down the possibility of a backlash, saying that the country had a strong case because Aceh is under martial law.

"The Germans will likely question the incident, but the area is in a state of war. Besides, we still have to investigate the case as soon as possible," he said.

He however is of the same opinion that the TNI should immediately give an honest explanation about the incident to answer any questions from the international community.