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