End of civil emergency brings little change in Aceh

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

A week after the government lifted the state of civil emergency in Aceh, residents remain unsure exactly what, if anything, has changed.

"It is still like living under the state of emergency. Soldiers are still roaming around," Ayi, a Lhokseumawe resident, told The Jakarta Post.

One thing that has changed, he added, is the soldiers' firearms. "Now the firearms are in their holsters, (not out) like during the state of emergency," he said.

The number of Indonesian Military and police personnel in Aceh is about 56,000, the same as under the state of emergency.

And the lifting of the state of emergency has not stopped soldiers or police officers and rebels from the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) exchanging fire.

The government also holds regular operations aimed at maintaining security. The military continues to maintain posts in remote villages such as Lhok Nga in Aceh Besar regency.

In Lamlhom district, Lhok Nga, Aceh Besar, a joint intelligence unit post set up four months has not been dismantled.

"They (the unit's personnel) are not moving even though the province is no longer under a state of emergency," said 30-year- old Muhammad, a resident of Lamlhom, a reported rebel stronghold.

Routine patrols are conducted by security personnel in areas of the province seen as more at risk for rebel activity.

In another sign that little has changed in the province, most residents of remote areas affected by the tsunami still do not have identity cards, and are trying to obtain special red-and- white IDs.

Since the imposition of martial law, followed by the state of emergency, from 2003 to 2005, Acehnese have been required to carry special red-and-white ID cards, singling them out from other Indonesian citizens who carry yellow ID cards. The red-and- white cards were supposed to be phased out after the lifting of the state of emergency.

The size of the red-and-white IDs is twice the size of regular yellow ID cards. They are also signed by the local district chief, the district military commander and the district police chief. The idea behind the cards is that they are supposed to make it easier for security personnel to distinguish between civilians and GAM members.

"Emergency or not we are still trying to get the red-and-white identity cards," said Azmi, a 29-year-old resident of Lampuuk in Lhok Nga, which was destroyed in the tsunami.

Azmi and the other residents of the village are using letters issued by the subdistrict head as their "identity cards". The residents hope to get new red-and-white IDs soon.

After lifting the emergency status, the government announced it planned to replace the red-and-white identity cards with the normal yellow ones.

"If we wait for the yellow identity cards, it might take a long time. What will happen if (we are checked) by military personnel during a raid," Azmi said.

The police, however, are determined to ensure security in Aceh, including arresting rebel sympathizers.

"We have seen several activists who support the rebels returning to Aceh," said Insp. Gen. Bahrumsyah Kasman.

The activists, he said, have been placed on the police's wanted list and will be arrested if they get involved in political activities.

"If they want to perform humanitarian work such as assisting tsunami victims, that is fine. But if they become involved in other activities, we will arrest them," Bahrumsyah said.