Concern heightens about militia groups in Aceh

Concern heightens about militia groups in Aceh

A. Junaidi and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Activists and researchers have urged an end to the involvement of
militia groups in Nanggroe Aceh Darrusalam in the operation
against rebels, saying the military is virtually pitting
civilians against each other.

Observation by the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy
(ELSAM) cited increased mobilization of civilians by the
Indonesian Military (TNI) since the "integrated operation" was
launched in the province. However some villagers said they had
armed themselves in self defense against the rebels, who forced
them into GAM or extorted or intimidated them.

Critics have said the government operation is largely a
military action against the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) while three
other aspects -- the humanitarian field, law enforcement and
improved performance of the local bureaucracy -- have been given
far less attention.

The operation was launched last year, coinciding with the
declaration of martial law in Aceh on the midnight of May 18,
2003. Earlier the government announced it could no longer
negotiate with GAM. Martial law is slated to end on May 19.

Amiruddin al Rahab of ELSAM said the TNI had "urged the people
to mark with red the houses of suspected GAM members and report
their suspicions to the authorities."

"It's like letting people kill each other," Aceh-born
Amiruddin told a seminar evaluating one year of military
operation in Aceh. Speakers at talks held by the student
association of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN)
and the Youths and Student Antiviolence Movement (Kompak), urged
warring parties to return to negotiations.

Philip Vermonte of the Center for Strategic and International
Studies (CSIS) said if TNI did not stop recruiting civilian
militia, "Aceh could end up like East Timor." Hundreds of militia
groups ran amok in the territory, killing people and destroying
buildings after the majority vote for independence in 1999.

Separately TNI spokesman Maj.Gen.Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said the
civilian groups were not militia but "fronts for people's
resistance in an emergency". The military was requested by the
local government to train and organize them, he said, "but they
are not armed and are non combatants," and their purpose was self
defense.

Amiruddin suspected the use of militia -- called by some the
People's Protection (Linmas) -- was related to the TNI's target,
which Aceh's martial law administrator Maj. Gen. Endang Suwarya
said was "to eliminate GAM at its grass roots".

Since the military operation began, TNI claims at least 1,300
GAM members have been killed and 2,000 other members and
sympathizers arrested.

Samsidar of the National Commission on Antiviolence Against
Women said the commission had "lost count" of villages now
populated mainly by women and children.

The year-long military operation "has brought suffering
similar to that endured under the 10-year military operation,"
which was revoked in 1999, Samsidar said. The previous operation
was also aimed at the elimination of GAM, but many youths who
grew up in that period were later recruited by GAM.

Meanwhile GAM spokesman Sofyan Dawood said GAM would not
retaliate against civilians found to have helped the TNI should
martial law be revoked.

"However armed militia must disarm themselves ... GAM has no
plan to harm its own people, Sofyan said. Several informants of
past operations have been found dead.