Army chief rules out disarming, withdrawing troops from Aceh

Army chief rules out disarming, withdrawing troops from Aceh

Lela E. Madjiah, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu dismissed on Monday
the possibility of Army troops in Aceh laying down their arms
following last week's signing of a cessation of hostilities
agreement by the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in
Geneva, Switzerland.

"Even here in Java or Surabaya (Army troops) carry weapons,
let alone there (in Aceh)," he said here after a ceremony to
commemorate the Army's anniversary.

Ryamizard also ruled out a troop withdrawal from Aceh, saying
the Indonesian Military (TNI) was the armed forces of the
Republic of Indonesia and the presence of troops from Sabang to
Merauke was legitimate.

"There should be no questions asked about the presence of a
million troops in an area (of the country) because that's where
they belong. On the other hand, the presence of one single
soldier in another country is subject to question," he said.

Ryamizard was responding to questions about GAM's demand that
the Indonesian Military withdraw from Aceh.

Last week Tengku Zainuri, field commander of GAM's military
wing in Pasee district, said that while GAM appreciated the
military's goodwill gesture of halting its military operations
after the signing of the peace accord, "we are waiting for
further steps from the military to withdraw from the province in
the next seven months".

Ryamizard also said he had instructed his troops to honor and
obey the government's decision on Aceh, including the Geneva
agreement, despite alleged violations by GAM.

"I have seen many violations by the opposite side (GAM), but
we don't want to make an issue of them. However, if the
violations occur every day, then we will have to evaluate (the
Aceh situation). The most important thing is to carry out the
policy of the government and of the TNI leadership while at the
same time remaining cautious so as not to be caught off guard,"
he said, referring to GAM's misuse of a humanitarian pause in
2000 to build up its arms supply.

"We sincerely want peace, not only in Aceh, but all over
Indonesia. On the other hand, we must remain cautious about the
sincerity of other parties. If both sides want peace, there will
be peace. The problem is when one party does not want peace or
pretends it wants peace," he said.

Earlier in his speech, Ryamizard told his troops the only
thing they had to keep in mind was how to prevent the nation from
breaking up.

"There is only one proclamation of independence, that of Aug.
17, 1945," he said.

The Army chief also used the occasion to highlight the
progress the Army had made in its reform efforts.

"There has been some progress in the fields of security,
intelligence, operations and personnel. We have, for example,
established criteria for promotions and placements. We have also
improved our logistics through the procurement of helicopters,
weapons and artillery, although not much," he said.

Ryamizard stressed that the Army was not concerned by a U.S.
arms embargo.

"America is not the only one who has weapons. Other countries
have a lot of weapons and we only have to make our choice. Why
must we limit our choice (to U.S. weapons)?"

He stressed that even in modern warfare, Indonesia's best
weapon was the unity of the people and the TNI.

"That's why we must nurture this unity. We don't recognize the
civil-military dichotomy, because since the beginning the people
and the military have been one. Why must TNI return to the
barracks? Whose barracks? The U.S. may confine its troops to
barracks, but the people are the TNI's barracks," he said.

"Therefore, despite advances in technology, human resources
and weapons, the unity of the people and the military remains the
basis of the Army's modern infantry warfare," said Ryamizard.

In this light, the Army will improve its territorial
capabilities, he said.

"We have been holding workshops to improve the capabilities of
our territorial personnel so that they get it right. We have done
this with only one thing in mind: to enable the Army to perform
its core tasks well."