Favoring Iraq, not Aceh

Favoring Iraq, not Aceh

Kornelius Purba, Staff Writer, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta,
korpur@yahoo.com

While tens of thousands of Indonesians in major cities chant
peace messages for Iraq in the street, and others even vow
readiness to sacrifice their own blood for the sake of Iraqis,
most ignore the grief of devout Acehnese Muslims in their own
country.

Away from the spotlight, Army chief Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu
presides over an Army leadership meeting in Lhokseumawe, Aceh's
business center. It seems it is only the Army that is still
concerned to enforce peace in the rebellious province, although
the choice of the city as meeting venue has been interpreted by
many Acehnese as a "show of force" before the rebels in one of
their known strongholds.

Aceh's provincial legislative council is possibly the most
active Indonesian state agency currently reacting to the war in
the Gulf, making an even harsher commentary than President
Megawati Soekarnoputri herself.

Claiming they were speaking on behalf of Aceh's 4.2 million
people in the province, which has experienced conflict for 27
years, the 55 legislators urged the UN on Monday to take all
necessary measures to stop the war, "the crazy military
adventure" of U.S. President George W. Bush, British Prime
Minister (PM) Tony Blair and Australian PM John Howard.

"By invading Iraq in contempt of the UN and international law,
those three leaders could be categorized as war criminals,"
council chairman Muhammad Yunus said while reading a statement,
as quoted by Antara.

Last Thursday the President had only said, "the government and
people of Indonesia strongly deplore the unilateral action taken
by the government of the U.S. and its allies." Megawati has been
widely praised for her strong stance toward the U.S., which she
reportedly reiterated in her recent telephone conversation with
Bush.

Yunus said, "the Islamic community in Aceh and Indonesia are
expected not to remain idle, but do something to help the Iraqi
people cope with their suffering."

Apart from this expression of Muslim solidarity, millions of
others, including Pope John Paul II, have also voiced strong
opposition to the war.

In the case of the U.S. attack on Afghanistan, and, before
that, the atrocities against Bosnians, scores here also expressed
solidarity. Indonesia and its people are obliged by the
Constitution to help the liberation of any oppressed peoples.

But why do we often ignore the distress of our own people?
While there are campaigns to collect funds to help Iraqis, why
don't we do the same for the Acehnese?

When few Indonesians showed empathy toward victims of atrocity
in East Timor during our occupation there, some wondered if it
was because most of the victims were Catholic. However, the
mostly Muslim Acehnese may feel they are experiencing similar
indifference from fellow citizens.

A friend pointed out that many Indonesians also wish to help
the Acehnese, but cannot forget the risks, entailed in supporting
any oppressed people, that existed during Soeharto's regime. They
could be stigmatized as traitors of the republic for supporting
Acehnese who are demanding independence.

But this is a lame excuse for ignorance.

Ryamizard has repeatedly vowed to maintain the integrity of
Indonesia's unitary state, saying the Indonesian Military (TNI)
would not tolerate rebellion. While we support the general's vow,
we may not have really come to appreciate the root causes of the
rebellion. Apart from civilians, victims have also included
members of the Free Aceh Movement and Indonesian soldiers.

Thousands of soldiers, mostly privates, died during the
conflict in Aceh. Their widows and children struggle on with
small pensions from the state.

The peace agreement signed between the Indonesian government
and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in December is now on the verge
of becoming a waste of paper, given that the parties are stepping
up their hostility campaigns.

From the government's inaction one might think the President
had even forgotten the existence of the agreement. Coordinating
Minister for Political and Security Affairs Gen. (ret) Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono has also seemed to have lost the appetite for
peace in the province, while the disputing parties on the ground,
TNI and GAM, seem to be hardening their stance against each
other.

Given such inertia, it will fall to the people to remind the
authorities to heed the demands of the Acehnese for peace and
dignity. When Aceh leaders, and many other Indonesians, demand
the trial of President George W. Bush for his alleged war crimes
in Iraq, why don't we also voice the same demand in support of
our brothers and sisters in Aceh?

If the current apathy continues, one day we may see thousands
of people from other nations taking to the streets, this time to
defend the rights of Acehnese to live in freedom from fear, from
being killed and from human rights abuse.

One expected reaction is: "Foreign nations just don't like to
see a strong Indonesia."