Civilian supremacy in Aceh

Civilian supremacy in Aceh

A bloody war is at the doorstep of the restive province of
Aceh. Indonesian citizens will soon kill each other in a terrible
battle. It's only a matter of time.

Aceh has been a boiling hot spot for 26 years, and no one can
guarantee that the conflict will end soon.

The province has a long history of conflicts, beginning with
its fight against the Dutch colonialists, and followed by the
Free Aceh Movement's (GAM) armed resistance against the
Indonesian Military. The history of Aceh has also been sprinkled
with government-sponsored military operations, after the
government designated Aceh as one of the Military Operation Zones
(DOM). History proves that GAM cannot be eliminated completely.

A prolonged war causes casualties. In the case of Aceh, the
list of victims will grow longer and longer, as the clashes go on
uninterrupted.

The April 25 meeting between the Indonesian government and GAM
in Geneva will be crucial, where the decision to take up arms and
go to war, or to sit down and work out another peace deal, will
be made.

The April 25 meeting is, of course, a setback, in light of the
peace deal that was signed on Dec. 9, 2002, known as the
Cessation of Hostilities Agreement. The deal has been violated by
both the warring groups, because they do not trust one another.

If the Geneva meeting fails, the government should not take
any military action prior to approval from the House of
Representatives through a plenary session.

Any militaristic decision must be based on civilian supremacy.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta