Beyond Gus Dur's visit

Beyond Gus Dur's visit

President Abdurrahman Wahid's jokes may have broken the ice
and tension in Aceh during his meeting with a group of about 500
carefully screened people at Baiturrahman Mosque in Banda Aceh on
Tuesday. But temporary relief and a lull in the violence is about
all that his brief visit accomplished, nothing else.

The tone of his speech, broadcast live across the nation, was
conciliatory and at times refreshingly self-deprecating. He
apologized to the people of Aceh for his administration's failure
to resolve the problems. He faulted the military for treating the
Acehnese, including the armed separatist rebels of the Free Aceh
Movement (GAM), as foes rather than brothers. And he quipped that
if he had not been a Muslim, he would have committed suicide
because of his failure.

Looking beyond the humor and self-deprecation, however,
Abdurrahman offered nothing new that would ease the pain and
suffering of the people in the province. He came with the promise
of more money for the people of Aceh. And he promised to give
them more autonomy in managing their own affairs. But these are
the same promises that have been made in the past, that have been
ineffective at stopping the violence that has killed tens of
thousands of people in the last 10 years. And he did not repeat
the promise that his administration has failed to fulfill -- to
see that justice is upheld with regards to the widespread human
rights abuses committed by the military in the past.

His conciliatory gestures also contradicted the tough
statements that he, his Cabinet ministers and military, made in
recent weeks about the activities of the separatist movement. His
promise that he would not renew military operations in Aceh also
contrasted with his own generals' warning that Aceh might be
placed under an emergency military situation because of the
escalating tension.

Given his penchant for changing his mind, its likely that few
people in Aceh took his promise at face value, treating the
military warning more seriously. Acehnese, of all people, know
better than to believe the President, having reneged on his
promise, made only a year ago, to allow a referendum on self-
determination.

If anything, his conciliatory gestures have confused the
people of Aceh. After the President's visit on Tuesday, Jakarta
is now more ambivalent than it has ever been with regards to
finding solutions to the Aceh problem.

Since the visit failed to make any significant change to Aceh
conditions, an important date to remember is Jan. 15, when the
humanitarian pause between Jakarta and GAM expires. Going by
their statements, neither side appears to have any intention of
renewing the agreement. From now on, Aceh must brace for even
more violence.

Had it been properly planned, the visit could have eased the
tension and prevented more clashes. With more tact, the President
could have won the hearts and minds of the Aceh people and
regained their trust and confidence. Instead, what transpired on
Tuesday may backfire on the government.

Prior to the visit, Jakarta sent some 5,000 fresh, fully-armed
troops into Aceh. Some were deployed to secure the President's
visit. Others, according to the military, were sent on an
humanitarian mission to help victims of this month's floods.
Their timings seem too much of a coincidence, especially after
the military warned that a state of military emergency might be
imposed in Aceh next month. Whatever the real reasons for sending
the troops, their presence made Aceh look more and more like it
is in a state of war. Before and during the President's visit,
Banda Aceh even looked like a town under military occupation.
This can only reinforce the enmity and hatred that many people in
Aceh harbor against Jakarta.

If Jakarta had been sincere about its conciliatory approach to
Aceh, the very least that the President should have done was to
order the release of Muhammad Nazar, the chairman of the Aceh
Referendum Information Center (SIRA), who has been under police
detention for more than a month. Jakarta should also have
completed the prosecution of military officers who were allegedly
responsible for human rights atrocities against the people of
Aceh. And, finally, Jakarta should also have made some political
accommodations to the growing aspirations of the people of Aceh
to determine their own future.