Beware of foreign

Beware of foreign intervention

From Media Indonesia

Foreign intervention will perhaps become increasingly sophisticated and difficult to avoid as it is one of the main features of globalization, in which a national issue is also seen as a global problem. Therefore, it becomes even harder to identify forms of such intervention, as is now taking place in Aceh. The Henry Dunant Center (HDC) and the Joint Security Committee (JSC) certainly regard their tasks as serving a humanitarian cause.

The humanitarian principles they follow will not distinguish between the acts done by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the Indonesian military (TNI). Indonesia's approval of the foreign organizations' presence also makes national interests difficult to manifest.

Treating GAM and TNI on the same footing is already favorable to GAM, which can arouse suspicion among people who "love Indonesia". In the case of physical reaction shown by the public at the JSC or HDC headquarters, the position of Indonesia is further "cornered". In our view, the Aceh issue with the HDC and JSC as truce monitors and dispute mediators should be closely examined.

GAM has lately violated the peace agreement with Indonesia by committing acts of violence, including the burning of public facilities in Aceh. However, the TNI has had to bear the blame for GAM's offenses. We should thus watch out for any involvement of foreign elements in Aceh under the guise of humanitarian aid.

REKSON SILABAN W Jakarta