Criticisms on Aceh and Timor
Criticisms on Aceh and Timor
Ramzy Hasibuan and Sumarsono Sastrowardoyo (The Jakarta Post,
Sept. 9 and July 25) deplored my articles on East Timor (Jakarta
rights tribunal buries E. Timor atrocities, Aug. 20) and Aceh
(Unspoken protest amid prolonged war in Aceh, July 8) and
uncritically rejoiced in Hilde May's criticism of my article on
Aceh (July 15).
Sumarsono's and Hasibuan's angry responses do not address the
facts raised. The responses presumably emanate from their
patriotic mood, however misplaced. They don't change any
conclusions in my articles, but suggest the syndrome from which
many apparently still suffer: Our nation, from their point of
view, rather unexpectedly "lost" East Timor.
Why should one continue to be disturbed by the issue, which,
by implication, is a dishonest denial that the territory was
never "ours," but was illegally annexed? Does it help
reconciliation with the people of East Timor?
Hilde May, referring to my report on Aceh of last July, said
"the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) ... eventually provoked martial
law." It is not as simple as it may seem. If, as even the
Indonesian Military has recognized, GAM indeed controlled a large
part of Aceh, why should it prefer to live under martial law?
She reminded us that "GAM unlawfully collected ID cards" and
"those who refused to obey GAM's orders had to face punishment."
Worse still, the villagers I recently met in Bireuen and Pidie
have confirmed that GAM (or men claiming to be from GAM) was
responsible for intimidating village heads and for shooting at
public transport vehicles, etc. I have written about this
elsewhere.
For May to denounce my article as "one-sided" is therefore
unfair. It is even more puzzling, as she expected me to explain
whether I believed that "GAM would offer better leadership" while
wondering "what kind of government, (GAM) would like to
establish."
Why should I explain things that (as I made clear in the
article) were unlikely to occur, and therefore didn't even
mention?
ABOEPRIJADI SANTOSO
Amsterdam