Foreigners still not allowed to enter Aceh despite lifting on martial law
Foreigners still not allowed to enter Aceh despite lifting on martial law
Ibnu Mat Noor, Banda Aceh
Governor Abdullah Puteh announced on Wednesday that despite the
province's change of status to civil emergency, a number of
regulations from the martial law period still applied, including
the ban on foreigners entering the province.
"We are still banning foreigners from entering Aceh ....
However, we will make an exception for the Sabang (tourist
resort)," Puteh said.
As chief of the civil emergency administration of Nanggroe
Aceh Darussalam, Puteh also said those martial law regulations
still in effect included shooting on sight unidentified,
suspicious-looking people.
"However, we will fire warning shots first," provincial
military chief and the former chief of the martial law
administration, Maj. Endang Suwarya, said. He added that the
shoot-on-sight order was necessary as "shock therapy" against
members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), who he blamed for
various crimes such as the burning down schools.
Officials said rules to enforce the martial law regulations
would be drawn up on Wednesday.
Puteh made the announcement after meeting with civil emergency
authorities, including the head of the assistance team, Progo
Nurjaman, and the deputy chief of the prosecutor's office, Teuku
Zakaria. The assistance team, which was deployed from Jakarta, is
being led by ad interim coordinating minister for political and
security affairs Hari Sabarno.
Speaking in Banda Aceh on Wednesday, Hari said the authorities
expected the civil emergency in the province to receive a smooth
implementation despite the fact that Puteh is a witness in a
corruption case.
"He will have to divide his time (between being the civil
emergency administrator) and answering police summons," Hari said
as quoted by Antara. "We cannot deactivate officials every time
they become witnesses in police cases."
Puteh was questioned for eight hours at the National Police
Headquarters in Jakarta earlier this week over a number of
charges, including the marking up of prices on helicopters
purchased from the provincial budget.
The requirement that Puteh consult with the assistance team
from Jakarta on all policies regarding Aceh is thought to be
related to his implication in the graft cases.
Puteh said his administration was "fully in charge" since
martial law was ended on May 19. The transfer of authority from
Maj. Gen. Endang to Puteh took place on Monday, almost three
weeks after the government lowered the province's status. Endang
remains the military chief in the restive province, where GAM
rebels have been fighting for independence since 1976.
Provincial police chief Insp. Gen. Bachrumsyah Kasman said the
ban on foreigners was needed to secure Aceh from people "who want
to initiate a conflict".
The ban on foreigners means the operations of international
humanitarian operations will continue to be hampered. However,
ahead of the April legislative election Indonesian Military chief
Gen. Endriartono Sutarto announced that foreign observers were
allowed to monitor the elections in Aceh, though under strict
conditions.
The government also announced that military operations would
continue when necessary in Aceh. The National Resilience
Institute has said that there should be clear rules of conduct
for security personnel, so as to differentiate their behavior
under martial law and under a civil emergency.
Civilians have often complained of harassment by both GAM
fighters and police and military personnel.