'End martial law in Aceh to restore'

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Noted religious figures repeated earlier demands to end martial law in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, saying that continuing the violence there would damage the dignity of the Acehnese.

Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, former president and respected ulema of the country's largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), said on Friday that Jakarta had never understood the problems in Aceh and insisted on perceiving the main issue as security disturbances to the nation's sovereignty.

He also incited resentment in Aceh when he decided the military operation should resume in 2001, but he is also known for initiating a humanitarian pause when in office.

He added that the lack of understanding about the situation in Aceh had caused the government to repeat the same policies -- responding to Acehnese demands with a military offensive. Gus Dur was addressing a seminar on the impact of the military operation in Aceh, which has now been extended by six months.

Following the end of Aceh's 10-year status as a military operations area, and an apology from then Indonesian military chief Gen. Wiranto, locals demanded that human rights violators be brought to trial -- something that has yet to materialize.

Gus Dur said that under martial law declared in May this year, "basic rights of the Acehnese have been put aside for what the military says are security initiatives."

"How can the Acehnese hold meetings freely, as we are doing?" he said at talks organized by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).

Martial law has provided a legal basis for Jakarta's sidelining of basic Acehnese rights, Gus Dur said.

Chairman of the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) Nathan Setiabudi said the imposition of martial law for the sake of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia was unacceptable.

Citing the ethics of Christianity, he said, "the Unitary Republic is supposed to be a place for everyone to be a human being. Indeed, the military operation is simply a deterrent that does not aim at making people human," Nathan told the seminar. "Reviving dignity is a possible solution to the Aceh issue; we can only make it if we give them dignity."

The government has cited the need to make secure next year's general elections in Aceh as among the reasons for extending martial law. It ignored protests from rights campaigners, prodemocracy groups and donor countries -- the European Union, Japan and the United States -- which have initiated a post-war construction fund for Aceh.

Nathan reiterated calls for the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to return to the negotiating table, saying "it is the only humane way."

He said the parties could begin by clearing up differences of perception leading to the collapse of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed between the government and GAM in December 2002.

Rights activist Munir concurred with the two religious leaders, saying that Jakarta was using the military purely for its own political interests.