Cease-fire no threat to RI sovereignty: Observers

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government and the Indonesia Military (TNI) have been told to support a cease-fire with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in a bid to release RCTI cameraman Fery Santoro and other civilian hostages in restive Aceh, saying it would do no harm to the country's sovereignty.

Arlina, a humanitarian law expert of the Trisakti University, said all international legislations on war recognized a cease-fire as a means to evacuate victims from a war zone.

"The international legislations guarantee that a cease-fire will not change the status quo, meaning those considered to be rebels will remain to be seen as rebels while the legitimate government still represents the country," she said during a discussion over the weekend.

According to Arlina, the government must respect humanitarian law in a bid to release Fery and at least 277 civilians held hostage by the Aceh rebels.

"It is the government which is supposed to take the initiative because Indonesia has adopted the 1949 Geneva Convention. It means the government represents Indonesia as part of the international community in negotiation with the rebels," she said.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto have both dismissed the cease-fire demanded by GAM. In his latest statement, Susilo said the government would be set for a military operation to release the hostages if negotiation with the rebels failed.

The government has involved the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in its bid to release the hostages.

"No need to worry over possible foreign involvement in Aceh. ICRC has been known for its neutral reputation in all wars across the world," Arlina said.

Rachland Nashidik of the Imparsial rights watchdog agreed with Arlina, saying a cease-fire had nothing to do with the country's sovereignty.

"The government or TNI must set aside any thoughts that a cease-fire is a humiliation to the country's dignity, or a threat to the country's sovereignty. A cease-fire is about humanity in the event of a war," he said.

Meanwhile, Edi Suprapto, the chairman of the Alliance of the Independent Journalists (AJI), appealed to both the TNI and GAM, saying "The most important thing is how to save the hostages."

Following the tragic death of RCTI journalist Sory Ersa Siregar on Dec. 29, 2003, the government set up a team in its efforts to release Fery and other civilian hostages.

Responding to GAM's demand for a cease-fire, Endriartono questioned the rebels who did not ask for such a condition for the release of U.S. journalist William Nessen last year.

Fery and Ersa, along with three other civilians -- their driver Rachmatsyah and two women -- were held hostage after they were intercepted by the separatist rebels on May 29.

Rachmatsyah managed to escape during a shoot-out between the military and GAM on Dec. 12. But Ersa was killed during a raid by TNI soldiers on a group of rebels in remote Aleu Matang Arun village, Simpang Ulim subdistrict, East Aceh.