Caning ammunition for GAM?

Caning ammunition for GAM?

Reading the article titled Caning comes into effect in Aceh on
1st day of Ramadhan (The Jakarta Post, Oct. 28), I wonder whether
former president Abdurrahman Wahid was fully aware of all the
possible consequences when in December 2000 he offered Aceh the
implementation of sharia, or Islamic law in order to reduce
demands for independence.

The head of the Aceh Referendum Information Center (SIRA),
Muhammad Nazar, response to the president's offer was short and
clear: "Wahid doesn't need to declare Islamic law because it's
not what the Acehnese are asking for. Because nearly 100 percent
of the people there are Muslims who have already implemented the
religious rules in principle." (The Observer, Dec. 15, 2000).

The government obviously ignored the fact that the Free Aceh
Movement (GAM)'s fight for independence has never depended solely
on an Islamic agenda. What GAM really wants is unlimited access
to the province's wealth. Therefore, they will never agree with
the special autonomy law, which gives them only more of the
province's oil and gas revenue. To achieve their goals, GAM needs
not only more support from the Acehnese people but also more
sympathy from the international community.

If caning as punishment comes into effect in Aceh, GAM only
stands to gain. First, a poor "sinner" who has suffered the
physical and psychical pain of public caning might afterward well
be ready to link up with GAM. Second, so far the international
community has hardly given any support to the GAM rebels. But
this might change after the first canings have been executed;
especially considering the nature of the "crime".

It must be feared that the Aceh Ulema Consultative Assembly
(MPU) will soon propose stoning, beheading and amputation of
limbs, as such draconic punishments are in accordance with
sharia law. And if this should happen, I predict that the
international community will no longer consider GAM to be rebels
but rather freedom fighters, a development which would certainly
not be in the interest of the government's fight for a united
Indonesia.

In context with the introduction of caning in Aceh, I cannot
help but recall People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien
Rais' warning that Malaysia should not play with fire by caning
illegal Indonesian workers. He said that Malaysian authorities
were caning Indonesians like cows and goats, and called it
"inhumane". For once I couldn't agree more with Pak Amien.

HILDE MAY

Jakarta